battering
noun
bat·ter·ing
ˈba-tə-riŋ 
1
: violent physical abuse that usually involves the act of striking someone repeatedly or heavily in order to cause injury
Feminists turned violence against women, previously a well-kept secret, into a public political issue; made rape, incest, battering and sexual harassment understood as crimes; and got public funding for shelters for battered women.—
The Nation
The Nation2
: a damaging experience or situation : an injury, setback, or defeat
That was the year Canada rebounded from a 28–4 battering in the round-robin to beat the U.S. 17–16 in the championship final …—Bob Kravitz
Bob KravitzWhile her confidence took a battering [=was damaged], she kept a game face throughout the season.—Sally Bedell Smith
Sally Bedell SmithExamples of battering in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Madrid had been knocking on the door with some gusto for a while, but Alexander-Arnold turned his right foot into a combination of a battering ram and a skeleton key to set up Kylian Mbappe for the goal that teed up the second leg perfectly.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Trump has had amazing survival instincts through his tumultuous 15 months in office during his second term, despite a battering from a Democrat-friendly media and ongoing protests by citizens irate with his leadership.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Her onstage persona is reminiscent of a battering ram — plainspoken, combative, and staccato.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
Operating with laser focus, these tracks are his most brain-battering yet, following his peculiar style to a delirious deep end.
—Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026
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Nick Miller, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Trump has had amazing survival instincts through his tumultuous 15 months in office during his second term, despite a battering from a Democrat-friendly media and ongoing protests by citizens irate with his leadership.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Her onstage persona is reminiscent of a battering ram — plainspoken, combative, and staccato.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
Operating with laser focus, these tracks are his most brain-battering yet, following his peculiar style to a delirious deep end.
—Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for battering
Cite this Entry
“Battering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/battering. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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