1
as in slaughtering
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 fumbling
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 butchering
The artifacts included thimbles, a needle remnant and buttons — in addition to animal bones that showed signs of butchering.
—
Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
But there’s only one way to get good at butchering, and that’s to do a bunch of it each fall — and follow these tips.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 28 Aug. 2025
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bushmeat has the potential to spread diseases like Ebola due to hunting, butchering, and processing meat from infected animals.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
Jarrett Stidham’s preseason stats, after another night spent butchering another second-team defense, are Madden Career Mode-worthy.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
This pattern of alterations appears to be most consistent with butchering and not injuries sustained during fighting or a victor removing a body part as a trophy.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 7 Aug. 2025
Calio artifacts The Calio artifacts are small, sharp flakes, the kind of tools early humans would have used for tasks like butchering animals or processing plants.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2025
Just as pig butchering schemes migrated to the US in 2021, some believe these digital arrest deepfake scams will migrate in 2025.
—Frank McKenna, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Analysis of the more than 3,000 bones has suggested that unidentified assailants violently killed at least 37 men, women and children before butchering and cannibalizing their victims between 2210 and 2010 BC at a site called Charterhouse Warren, which is located in Somerset.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
But there’s only one way to get good at butchering, and that’s to do a bunch of it each fall — and follow these tips.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 28 Aug. 2025
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bushmeat has the potential to spread diseases like Ebola due to hunting, butchering, and processing meat from infected animals.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
Jarrett Stidham’s preseason stats, after another night spent butchering another second-team defense, are Madden Career Mode-worthy.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
This pattern of alterations appears to be most consistent with butchering and not injuries sustained during fighting or a victor removing a body part as a trophy.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 7 Aug. 2025
Calio artifacts The Calio artifacts are small, sharp flakes, the kind of tools early humans would have used for tasks like butchering animals or processing plants.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2025
Just as pig butchering schemes migrated to the US in 2021, some believe these digital arrest deepfake scams will migrate in 2025.
—Frank McKenna, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Analysis of the more than 3,000 bones has suggested that unidentified assailants violently killed at least 37 men, women and children before butchering and cannibalizing their victims between 2210 and 2010 BC at a site called Charterhouse Warren, which is located in Somerset.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for butchering
Verb
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Some discussed potential restrictions included the ban of roosters, the ban of slaughtering chickens and requirements around upkeep.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Sep. 2025
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These small banks are slaughtering the low expectations the market set for them.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Then, after starting the second half by fumbling the ball away at the Rebels’ 17, the Cougars’ next two drives ended in two more Belinske-Strauss touchdown runs – the second of which came on a possession that started at the Champlin Park 1 after a high snap on a Rebels’ punt attempt.—
Frank Rajkowski,
Twin Cities,
13 Sep. 2025
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Boise State played an uneven first half in Tampa, fumbling twice and committing a huge penalty that gave life to a South Florida touchdown drive.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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As health restrictions discouraged people from blowing directly into instruments, Gajewski and Brown reimagined the design.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Sep. 2025
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Soldiers have also been spotted in parks carrying out tasks typically assigned to gardeners and landscapers – shoveling mulch, blowing leaves and scooping up trash.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) blasted open border policies after a four-time deportee was convicted of murdering a Tacoma auto dealer.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Mangione is accused of murdering Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, as Thompson arrived at a hotel in midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024, after traveling from Minnesota.—
Joshua Rhett Miller
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The soap's sensual marketing theme earned mixed reactions on social media, with some users dubbing it a gimmick and questioning the item's cleanliness.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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Think visual effects, dubbing and storyboarding.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Car designers love them for not ruining the lines of the door with the necessities of real life, but is the benefit from drag reduction worth the safety risk?—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
10 Sep. 2025
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And broadcasting your irritation too loudly risks ruining the atmosphere for everyone else just as much as their yelling or off-key chants.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The show revolves around three Texas Hill Country ranching family dynasties locked in a contest for control of the land, and their lives and legacies are threatened by outside forces intent on destroying their way of life.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
19 Sep. 2025
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The allocation changes regularly, but as of June 2025, according to Business Insider, destroying a tank was worth eight points.—
Tamar Jacoby,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Butchering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/butchering. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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