batter

verb

ˈba-tər How to pronounce batter (audio)
Definition of batternext
1
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly children battered the piñata until it broke open

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to bomb
to use bombs or artillery against planes battered the city for weeks

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb batter contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of batter are cripple, maim, mangle, and mutilate. While all these words mean "to injure so severely as to cause lasting damage," batter implies a series of blows that bruise deeply, deform, or mutilate.

an old ship battered by fierce storms

When is cripple a more appropriate choice than batter?

The synonyms cripple and batter are sometimes interchangeable, but cripple implies the loss or serious impairment of an arm or leg.

crippled for life in an accident

When can maim be used instead of batter?

While in some cases nearly identical to batter, maim implies the loss or injury of a bodily member through violence.

maimed by a shark

When is it sensible to use mangle instead of batter?

In some situations, the words mangle and batter are roughly equivalent. However, mangle implies a tearing or crushing that leaves deep wounds.

a soldier's leg mangled by shrapnel

In what contexts can mutilate take the place of batter?

Although the words mutilate and batter have much in common, mutilate implies the cutting off or removal of an essential part of a person or thing thereby impairing its completeness, beauty, or function.

a tree mutilated by inept pruning

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 batter That doesn’t include October’s Hurricane Milton, which battered the area, blowing the Teflon roof off the Trop and causing what the city of St. Petersburg has estimated as $55.7 million worth of reconstructive damages. —Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 27 Mar. 2025 The stock has had a turbulent run in the first quarter of the year, battered by rising competition, weak EV demand and worries around CEO Elon Musk's political involvement taking away focus from the business. —Deborah Sophia, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2025 Like boxers and politicians, football club owners tend to exit the stage if not battered then certainly bruised and sometimes broke. —Matt Slater, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025 Beryl battered Houston, causing more than $2.5 billion in damage, per early estimates. —Shafaq Patel, Axios, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for batter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for batter
  1. lick
  2. bomb
  3. pound
  4. shell
  5. lash
  6. bat
  7. whip
  8. hide
Verb
  • The race is being widely viewed as a must-win for Democrats who at the national level are still licking their 2024 election wounds, as well as a potential referendum on Trump and Musk.
    — Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Cora appears to enjoy the routine and happily lets the cat lick at the tufts of blonde hair on her head.
    — Kelli Bender, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of lick
Verb
  • The posture shift came as Trump threatened to bomb Iran if the country does not strike a deal over its nuclear weapons capabilities.
    — Davis Winkie, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Khamenei had warned the U.S. would face strong retaliation if Trump followed through on his threat to bomb Iran.
    — Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of bomb
Verb
  • The show follows Richards pounding the pavement in every shot as he is violently hunted.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 3 Apr. 2025
  • That leaves us with Tim, STILL pounding the pills and booze.
    — Dan Heching, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of pound
Verb
  • Raw shelled eggs were stored above lemons inside a walk-in refrigerator.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacramento Bee, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Russia denies this, accusing Ukraine of shelling the facility.
    — Hanna Arhirova, Chicago Tribune, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of shell
Verb
  • However, Cabello lashed out at U.S. authorities, accusing them of unjustly detaining and deporting Venezuelans under false claims of gang affiliations.
    — Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2025
  • In early March, tropical storm Alfred battered Australia’s heavily populated east coast, lashing the region with damaging winds and heavy rain for several days as hundreds of thousands of homes in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales lost power.
    — Edward Szekeres and Helen Regan, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of lash
Verb
  • Jason Heyward was 1-for-4 and is batting .136 (3-for-22).
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
  • And fortunately, a lot of it came to bear with going to bat for Mayday caused those things to come to the surface.
    — Lauren Huff, EW.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of bat
Verb
  • Take it from us and whip out this gem for special occasions versus everyday wear, as Gucci recommends shielding it from direct light, heat, and rain.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • In the early hours of April 21, 1775, gale-force winds whipped across the town square, driving the shivering sentries from their posts to the shelter of their beds.
    — Andrew Lawler, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of whip
Verb
  • The shooter behind the 2023 Nashville elementary school attack that killed six people, including three children, had been obsessively planning it for years while hiding mental health issues from family and doctors, a police report released Wednesday reveals.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Rogers was found hiding under a bridge nearby and was arrested, authorities said.
    — Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of hide

Browse Nearby Words

battens (down)
batter
battered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Batter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/batter. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on batter

Nglish: Translation of batter for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about batter

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