mutilate
verb
mu·ti·late
ˈmyü-tə-ˌlāt 
mutilated; mutilating; mutilates
1
: to cut up or alter radically so as to make imperfect
The child mutilated the book with his scissors.
a painting mutilated by vandals
2
: to cut off or cause severe damage to a limb or essential part of
His arm was mutilated in the accident.
Examples of mutilate in a Sentence
a painting mutilated by vandals
was lucky not to be mutilated in the car crash
Recent Examples on the Web
Maxwell Anderson was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide or first-degree reckless homicide, mutilating a corpse, arson and hiding a corpse on June 6, 2025, WISN reported.
—
Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2025
Sconce eventually pleaded guilty to 21 criminal counts — including for mutilating corpses, holding mass cremations and hiring hit men — and was sentenced in 1989 to five years in prison.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025
Roughly 20,000 subscribers paid to watch along as Gustavson mutilated his customers without any proper medical training or oversight, sometimes using kitchen knives and tools meant for animals, The Standard reported.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 31 May 2025
Chen – a pseudonym to protect his real identity – is part of a team of internet sleuths whose mission is to shut down a shadowy global network that mutilates and kills cats for profit.
—Rebecca Wright, CNN Money, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for mutilate
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Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2025
Sconce eventually pleaded guilty to 21 criminal counts — including for mutilating corpses, holding mass cremations and hiring hit men — and was sentenced in 1989 to five years in prison.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025
Roughly 20,000 subscribers paid to watch along as Gustavson mutilated his customers without any proper medical training or oversight, sometimes using kitchen knives and tools meant for animals, The Standard reported.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 31 May 2025
Chen – a pseudonym to protect his real identity – is part of a team of internet sleuths whose mission is to shut down a shadowy global network that mutilates and kills cats for profit.
—Rebecca Wright, CNN Money, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for mutilate
Cite this Entry
“Mutilate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mutilate. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mutilate
verb
mu·ti·late
ˈmyüt-ᵊl-ˌāt
mutilated; mutilating
1
: to make imperfect by cutting or altering severely : ruin
mutilate a play
2
: to cut off or destroy a necessary part (as a limb) : maim
Medical Definition
mutilate
transitive verb
mu·ti·late
ˈmyüt-ᵊl-ˌāt
mutilated; mutilating
: to cut off or cause severe damage to a limb or essential part of
mutilate a body
also
: castrate sense 1
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