1
as in shuffling
to move heavily or clumsily
pounding down the road as fast as he could run
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in banging
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
pounding nails into boards all day long
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in licking
to strike repeatedly
during the storm the waves furiously pounded the beach
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in drawing
to shape with a hammer
pounding out a depression in the metal
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in grinding
to reduce to fine particles
the tablet may be pounded and mixed in with the animal's food
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in hammering
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pounding
Shira Li Bartov, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
It’s typed with such pounding despair and fury that certain letters of the alphabet actually tear through the paper (this was an old, manual typewriter).
—Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
The craziness is visceral — a combination of pounding music, billowing smoke, crackling barbecues and revving engines.
—Jonathan Hawkins, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Heart-pounding, finger-tingling, grin-inducing fun.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025
See an exclusive clip and the script pages for one of the most pulse-pounding scenes of the Stephen King adaptation.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2025
And the thump, thump, thumping of her brother’s hands pounding a heavy bag.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 30 Aug. 2025
These unofficial remixes, uploaded from unremarkable accounts, create a kind of Satie-esque audio overdose, pounding the band’s melody into abstraction, pure stimulus.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2025
But as Jamie Lee Curtis is running through the streets, pounding on people’s doors to get somebody to help her, nobody does.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
Russia is intensifying its pounding of Ukraine, with June seeing the highest civilian casualties in three years.
—Shira Li Bartov, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
One end of the spectrum are stress fracture, which are very small, often described as hairline fractures that result from repetitive force and pounding to the bone over time.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
It’s typed with such pounding despair and fury that certain letters of the alphabet actually tear through the paper (this was an old, manual typewriter).
—Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
The craziness is visceral — a combination of pounding music, billowing smoke, crackling barbecues and revving engines.
—Jonathan Hawkins, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Heart-pounding, finger-tingling, grin-inducing fun.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025
See an exclusive clip and the script pages for one of the most pulse-pounding scenes of the Stephen King adaptation.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2025
And the thump, thump, thumping of her brother’s hands pounding a heavy bag.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 30 Aug. 2025
These unofficial remixes, uploaded from unremarkable accounts, create a kind of Satie-esque audio overdose, pounding the band’s melody into abstraction, pure stimulus.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2025
But as Jamie Lee Curtis is running through the streets, pounding on people’s doors to get somebody to help her, nobody does.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pounding
Verb
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The three actors were filming a lighthearted scene, shuffling excitedly between a hot sauna and cold plunge, when Reeves’ foot caught on some flooring.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
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The film essentially takes place entirely within an under-20-minute timeline, showing the same events from a shuffling deck of points of view.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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She’s matched wonderfully by Cooke, who leans into her actual Manchester accent to give Cherry a stroppy, sarcastic bent and whose body looks absolutely banging wrapped in an array of oxblood, maroon, and cerise minidresses.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
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From his head-banging guitar solo to his crisp, impressively precise vocals, Thomas delivered male R&B showmanship reminiscent of Maxwell or D’Angelo.—
Kyle Denis,
Billboard,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That could look like gliding your fingers down them, kissing, licking, or gently biting those areas.—
Essence,
Essence,
11 Sep. 2025
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In the video, the sound of Bambi's stomping, licking, meowing and general everyday life has delighted viewers.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Such action by Russia, either intentional or accidental, has raised the risk of widening the war by drawing other countries directly into the conflict.—
Matt Spetalnick,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Charlotte's Democratic Mayor Vi Lyles initially emphasized the suspect's mental health over the victim, drawing fierce criticism.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This budget-friendly Presto knife sharpener features a two-stage sharpening system for grinding knife blades and honing them to a polished and sharp finish.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
9 Sep. 2025
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Miley Cyrus shocked viewers by stripping down to a nude bikini top and briefs and grinding, twerking and thrusting on fellow performer Robin Thicke at the 2013 show in one of the raciest performances in MTV history.—
Kate Hogan,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Cena’s chrome-domed antihero, Freddie Stroma’s Vigilante and and Danielle Brooks’ Adebayo stomping through spots of light.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
21 Aug. 2025
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No velvet rope, no fourth wall—just boot-stomping, beer-sign neon and crowd-absorption tech.—
Bob Bonniol,
Rolling Stone,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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But the Braves came back with three runs in the eighth on an RBI single from Matt Olson, a run-scoring triple from the hot-hitting Ozzie Albies and a single from Drake Baldwin.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But when this lashing out becomes regular, the partner on the receiving end will start to expect their character to be attacked just as regularly.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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The company destroyed a piece of lashing wire that investigators believe slapped an Xcel electrical conductor and caused arcing that led to the fire, said Matthew Delinko with Bauman, Lowe, Witt & Maxwell, a law firm representing insurance companies.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pounding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pounding. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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