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 Look for cushioning in the shin, ankle, and toe box areas specifically, as this is where an unforgiving ski boot can batter, blister, and bruise you. —Jonathan Thompson, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2026 Bitcoin gets battered Cipher and TeraWulf are repurposing their bitcoin mining operations to serve AI players during a downturn in the cryptocurrency market. —Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 9 Feb. 2026 While the Northeast enjoys some reprieve from the winter weather that has battered the region, forecasters say, the West may get a taste of frigid temperatures. —James Powel, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026 Skattebo was a fitting backfield mate, his battering-ram style producing 98 yards and three touchdowns in the Week 6 win over the Eagles. —Dan Duggan, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026 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
  • Mitch West, meanwhile, was licking his wounds on Monday night, when snow still hadn’t touched down in his region of South Carolina.
    — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2026
  • England’s Test team are still licking their wounds after their humbling Down Under.
    — Sam Dalling, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Definition of lick
Verb
  • Iran has been refusing requests by the agency to inspect the sites bombed in the June war.
    — Farnoush Amiri, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Such joint ventures could allow Ukraine to produce more of its weapons elsewhere in Europe, ensuring stability of supply if factories inside Ukraine get bombed.
    — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of bomb
Verb
  • But that gives us a different look and the versatility of being able to play the two of them together and pound the glass on both ends is a weapon for us.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
  • That means sneakers, ideally a pair that’s durable enough to withstand pounding the pavements, will be essential to your roster of footwear.
    — Natalie Hammond, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of pound
Verb
  • Feast options include a 4-pound Lazy Man’s Maine Lobster, featuring fresh Maine lobster that is cooked, cracked, shelled and tossed in warm butter and white wine, then stuffed with sautéed shrimp and scallops and finished with Hollandaise.
    — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Tank shelling in Gaza City's eastern neighborhood of Zaytoun killed another three Palestinians, according to Shifa Hospital, including a husband and his wife.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Definition of shell
Verb
  • The skier’s comments somehow came to the attention of the president, who lashed out at Hess on Truth Social on Sunday.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 8 Feb. 2026
  • Whether the game is a blowout or comes down to a fateful goal-line stand, loyalists of one team may leap for joy, while others might lash out in anger, pummeling their TV sets or sinking into a deep postgame funk.
    — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of lash
Verb
  • Finally, Cisco Systems is up to bat after the bell.
    — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2026
  • In that scenario the Red Sox could regularly bat Carlos Narvaez seventh, platoon Marcelo Mayer and Kiner-Falefa in the eighth spot and go with Ceddanne Rafaela ninth.
    — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of bat
Verb
  • It’s inspired by a French silk pie, but without any eggs to whip.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2026
  • For season 1 of The Boss, InStyle Editor in Chief Sally Holmes taps Julia Fox (Uncut Gems, Him, The Moment) as the Temporary-Permanent Ambassador of Slayage in an effort to whip the InStyle team’s style into shape ahead of New York Fashion Week.
    — InStyle Editors, InStyle, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of whip
Verb
  • This means that bills get hearings, debates happen in public, and legislators are required to vote on issues instead of hiding behind process.
    — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Maybe Mark Kelly and several other dissident members of Congress are hiding the sun in a big bag.
    — Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
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 15 Feb. 2026.

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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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