bludgeon 1 of 2

noun

ˈblə-jən How to pronounce bludgeon (audio)
Definition of bludgeonnext
as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment guards armed with bludgeons roamed the compound

Synonyms & Similar Words

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bludgeon

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to slap
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner remodelers bludgeoned the wall with a sledgehammer to join the two rooms

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly a boxer bludgeoning his opponent

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bludgeon
Noun
Antiquated federal bureaucracy, bewildering jurisdictional rules and burdensome state taxation bludgeon the spirit of enterprise on tribal lands. — Adam Crepelle, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Nov. 2025 Mamdani’s critics, of course, quickly turned the word into a bludgeon. — John M. Crisp, Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2025
Verb
The Chicago Cubs bludgeoned their National League Central rival Milwaukee Brewers and made all sorts of home-run history in the process. — Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 The sound stage felt bludgeoned into submission throughout, as the intense distortion of bass, percussion and guitars made the instrument separation within the mix almost inaudible. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bludgeon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bludgeon
  1. cane
  2. slap
  3. lick
  4. baton
  5. hit
  6. pound
  7. cudgel
  8. smack
Noun
  • Then pants, boots and cane and of course, the last is the cape.
    — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Questions that have been proposed for removal deal with memory, fatigue, arthritis, difficulty walking and climbing stairs, as well as others about the use of hearing aids, canes, wheelchairs and scooters.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of cane
Verb
  • Antetokounmpo wasted no time in starting to rave about the Heat culture, a phrase that has become a lightning rod for criticism from talking heads around the NBA — especially after the franchise slapped the word across shirts and jerseys.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Less than three months after that deal was announced in January 2022, Smith became an industry pariah after slapping Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars, earning a 10-year ban from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of slap
Verb
  • Popo would lick her cone ever so gracefully, never dripping or messing up the lining of her magenta lipstick.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Teams have to be licking their chops after seeing what Tampa Bay did to Dallas last Thursday night, especially considering the defense (or lack thereof) that the Cowboys have shown through five weeks.
    — Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of lick
Noun
  • Under the pain of Clancy’s stun baton, Thomas accesses Tommy Maximoff’s speed powers, blurring into super-fast motion.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Riot police have liberally used tear gas and wielded their batons to disperse crowds.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of baton
Verb
  • Prosecutors said Wilcox was hit by gunfire, fell to the ground and fired three more gunshots at the officers.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The different program sales operations of Skydance hit the Côte d’Azur under their pre-existing Paramount and WB brands.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of hit
Verb
  • When Louise would remember the show decades later, the audience was always so electric that the room exploded into stamping feet and pounding fists.
    — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Ukraine briefly halted such attacks, but has since resumed them — while Russia never stopped pounding Ukraine’s energy plants and cities.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of pound
Noun
  • David Jolly is the son of a preacher man, but has vowed never to use his religion as a cudgel against anyone’s beliefs.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Just the mere threat of a False Claims Act investigation is a powerful cudgel, lawyers have said.
    — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of cudgel
Verb
  • Eventually, Bird’s film — with a script co-written by Matthew Robbins — gets to the meat of the action when Venus’ extremely complicated life runs smack into Ray and his knack for sniffing out bad guys.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The Eagles also have been smacked with injuries and played without several key starters.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of smack

Browse Nearby Words

bludged
bludgeon
bludgeoned
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Cite this Entry

“Bludgeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bludgeon. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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