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
Four of the murdered were mutilated.
—
Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
The killer targeted and gunned down couples parked in secluded spots on the city’s outskirts, and in several cases, the bodies of female victims were discovered to be mutilated.
—Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Three of them were discovered later, mutilated, but one — Riley Brennan (Sarah Dunn) has never been found.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 21 Oct. 2025
As recently as 20 years ago, in southern Romania, a man believed to be a vampire was exhumed, and his corpse ritually mutilated.
—Robert Eggers, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mutilate
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Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
The killer targeted and gunned down couples parked in secluded spots on the city’s outskirts, and in several cases, the bodies of female victims were discovered to be mutilated.
—Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Three of them were discovered later, mutilated, but one — Riley Brennan (Sarah Dunn) has never been found.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 21 Oct. 2025
As recently as 20 years ago, in southern Romania, a man believed to be a vampire was exhumed, and his corpse ritually mutilated.
—Robert Eggers, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 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 30 Oct. 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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