1
as in slaughtered
to kill on a large scale
the barbarians butchered the monks in the monasteries without mercy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in fumbled
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
the new piano student butchered the sonatina
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of butchered
The deer must be completely butchered and de-boned before it can be brought into the state.
—
Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
When a crew lands a whale, it's usually butchered on a nearby beach.
—ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
Using methods including high-resolution 3D scanning, researchers found that many of the 92 fragments bear cut marks on their inner surfaces, indicating that the turtles were carefully butchered by Neanderthals — with limbs detached, internal organs removed and shells thoroughly cleaned.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
According to the Times coverage of the incident and subsequent lawsuit, the scenes shown in the classroom included autopsies, decaying cadavers and live animals being butchered, mutilated and tortured.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Nova — who was working a second job as a delivery driver to provide for his family — had a little more than $100 on him when he was robbed and butchered.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
And so the buffalo were butchered and sold for their tongues and hides, and their bones were ground and used for fine china.
—Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026
Tell the people that you were basically butchered by your trauma.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026
The multi-page menu also includes steaks butchered, dry-aged and hand-cut by Olsen, reserve steak cuts such as a picanha, and steak specials such as a 40-ounce tomahawk ribeye.
—Amanda Hancock, Louisville Courier Journal, 27 Feb. 2026
Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
When a crew lands a whale, it's usually butchered on a nearby beach.
—ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
Using methods including high-resolution 3D scanning, researchers found that many of the 92 fragments bear cut marks on their inner surfaces, indicating that the turtles were carefully butchered by Neanderthals — with limbs detached, internal organs removed and shells thoroughly cleaned.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
According to the Times coverage of the incident and subsequent lawsuit, the scenes shown in the classroom included autopsies, decaying cadavers and live animals being butchered, mutilated and tortured.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Nova — who was working a second job as a delivery driver to provide for his family — had a little more than $100 on him when he was robbed and butchered.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
And so the buffalo were butchered and sold for their tongues and hides, and their bones were ground and used for fine china.
—Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026
Tell the people that you were basically butchered by your trauma.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026
The multi-page menu also includes steaks butchered, dry-aged and hand-cut by Olsen, reserve steak cuts such as a picanha, and steak specials such as a 40-ounce tomahawk ribeye.
—Amanda Hancock, Louisville Courier Journal, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for butchered
Verb
-
At Spring Festival, the Chinese New Year, a few pigs would be slaughtered and the pork rationed out.—
Michael Sheridan,
Vanity Fair,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Pigs were illegally slaughtered there.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Trailing to Jule Brand's 19th-minute goal for record eight-time champion Lyon, Arsenal was gifted an equalizer in the 59th when Mariona Caldentey's low free kick into the area was fumbled backward by goalkeeper Christiane Endler and onto the post.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Critics say the Epstein files show how Republican and Democratic administrations alike fumbled the Epstein investigation over two decades, leaving potential coconspirators uncharged.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Brunson had 27 points by halftime, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer that blew the score to 74-51 and gave him the second-most first-half points in Knicks playoff history.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
-
The Great Gatsby was the first book that kind of blew things open for me in terms of symbolism and deeper meaning and language.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Last week, Chicago police Officer John Bartholomew was murdered in the line of duty by a seven-time felon on parole who had multiple criminal arrest warrants, according to authorities.—
Silvana Tabares,
Chicago Tribune,
4 May 2026
-
The case of 19-year-old Kristin Smart, who was murdered in her California Polytechnic State University dorm room in 1996, went cold until 2019 when Christopher Lambert, then a Cal Poly student, started a podcast, Your Own Backyard.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Trees along the property were mangled.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The 49ers Hall of Fame safety had his pinkie mangled on a tackle during a game in 1985, and played with a splint before having the digit amputated after the season.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The internal debate over resuming the war comes after Pentagon officials informed Congress this week that the conflict, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, had cost taxpayers $25 billion thus far.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
-
On social media, the whale had been dubbed Timmy, after the first sandbank that he was stranded on.—
Jessica Camille Aguirre,
New Yorker,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
In other words, atrocious starts have ruined the Sox’s season before anyone had a chance to get excited.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Was so excited to make these and they were ruined by your poor recipe like many others!—
Christopher Kostow,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The assault killed at least seventeen people, including a twelve-year-old boy, wounded dozens, and destroyed buildings.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The 24 staff members in Ruiz Verduzco’s office are tasked with assisting victims and their families, establishing programs in communities destroyed by violence and drumming up financial support.—
Molly Quell,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Butchered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butchered. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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