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 Ten deaths have been recorded in Tennessee alone as a series of thunderstorms and tornadoes have battered the state over the past few days. —Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 6 Apr. 2025 The e-commerce and cloud computing giant’s market cap closed below $2 trillion as the new round of tariffs battered tech stocks. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025 Cosmic rays batter our planet all the time, but their impacts are quite hard to detect. —Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 31 Mar. 2025 Corn Dogs Fluffy-battered and fried to a golden crisp, corn dogs are nearly as iconic as their more straightforward glizzy brethren. —Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 30 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
  • On April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh bombed a federal building, killing 167 people and injuring 684.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Israel has bombed, besieged and raided them, some several times, while accusing Hamas of using them as cover for its fighters.
    — Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2025
Definition of bomb
Verb
  • All that — that’s what came turning around the corner late Sunday afternoon, striding through a tunnel of fans off Augusta’s 18th green, walking without a shadow despite a shallow sun; arms extended, eyes welling, chest pounding.
    — Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Deadly flooding in the South and Midwest The mother of a 9-year-old boy is speaking out after he was swept away and killed by floodwaters in Kentucky during the four days of historic storms that pounded the region.
    — Chris Looft, ABC News, 8 Apr. 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
  • Better to lash out first, or at least build up a protective armor.
    — Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 10 Apr. 2025
  • All the while, sawn-off shotguns; love locks inscribed with names lashed to bridges, their keys slung into the river; and other reminders of modern life are topping up the Thames.
    — Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of lash
Verb
  • 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
  • Jason Heyward was 1-for-4 and is batting .136 (3-for-22).
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 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
  • Ellie hides her injury from Dina when her friend arrives to rescue her, and the women are summoned to appear before the town leaders to share their experience.
    — Sara Netzley, EW.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The titles of 12 such books — some of which may have been published before 2025 — are hidden below within an unrelated text passage.
    — J. D. Biersdorfer, New York Times, 14 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 22 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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