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 Officials have urged residents not to travel on roadways as rain continues to batter the commonwealth, leading to severe and historic flooding in some areas. —Cheryl V. Jackson, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025 If Waldron wasn’t battered, then Phillies starter Zack Wheeler was hardly bothered. —Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 June 2025 Hill put on a striking clinic in that fight, battering Teixeira over five rounds to earn a one-sided decision win and the UFC 205-pound crown. —Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025 But the Islamic Republic was badly battered and humiliated. —Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 25 June 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 Boston Celtics are still licking their wounds following the heartbreaking end to the 2024-25 NBA season.
    — Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 July 2025
  • And Lil Wayne agrees by licking my face, which is part of the job description for companion dogs.
    — Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 9 July 2025
Definition of lick
Verb
  • Trump said military pilots who successfully bombed Iran will be guests for a flyover of military planes during the patriotic ceremony.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 5 July 2025
  • The Twelve-Day War between Israel and Iran in June concluded shortly after the United States intervened by bombing Iranian nuclear sites with 30,000-pound bunker busters dropped by strategic B-2 Spirit stealth bombers.
    — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
Definition of bomb
Verb
  • On Friday, torrential rain pounded the region, causing the Guadalupe River in Kerr County to rise 26 feet in just 45 minutes -- the second-highest on record, officials said .
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2025
  • For the first time since the storms began pounding Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott said there were 41 people confirmed to be unaccounted for across the state and more could be missing.
    — Brit Morse, Fortune, 7 July 2025
Definition of pound
Verb
  • Today, three years since the war started, shelling from Russian drones and artillery from across the Dnipro River — a mere mile away — is the worst yet, according to a CNN report.
    — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 June 2025
  • The Red Sox won that game anyway, 9-3, as Boston shelled Gooden for six runs in five innings.
    — Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
Definition of shell
Verb
  • Less than a week after Hegseth suspended them, deliveries abruptly started up again after President Donald Trump said Ukraine needed weapons to defend itself and lashed out at Vladimir Putin with the harshest language he's yet directed at the Russian leader.
    — Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 12 July 2025
  • More than a foot of rain lashed the region before the river flooding on Friday afternoon, NWS meteorologist James Wingenroth told Newsweek.
    — Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025
Definition of lash
Verb
  • Murphy, 30, could punch up a catching group that’s 29th in slugging percentage, batting average and weighted runs created and 30th in on-base percentage.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 July 2025
  • Williams led Florida State with 19 homers this past season while batting .321 for 53 RBI.
    — Cameron Priester, Sun Sentinel, 13 July 2025
Definition of bat
Verb
  • An Italian meringue involves carefully and slowly drizzling a hot sugar syrup into egg whites while whipping them.
    — Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 3 July 2025
  • The comet will also whip by Mars on October 2 at 18 million miles (30 million kilometers) from the red planet.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 3 July 2025
Definition of whip
Verb
  • The green laser shows you where dust might be hiding on your floors, and the LCD screen will tell you about the particle sizes down to the micron.
    — Nena Farrell, Wired News, 8 July 2025
  • Eight airports in different states appeared to have dropped the requirement, in place since 2006 after a British man in 2001 attempted to destroy an airliner with explosives hidden in a shoe.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 8 July 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 18 Jul. 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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