as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
a farmer armed with a cudgel drove us off his land
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to bludgeon
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cudgel
Shelley Inglis, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026
One of China's most popular novels, Journey to the West, features it as where the Monkey King Sun Wukong found his golden cudgel.
—New Atlas, 28 Dec. 2025
Timothy Ryback, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
Before long, fairs had such attractions as cudgelling bouts, bearbaiting, and something called gouging.
—Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023
See All Example Sentences for cudgel
Noun
The actions also follow the emphasis the administration places on economic pressure and wins as a deterrent to war and a cudgel for peace.
—Shelley Inglis, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026
One of China's most popular novels, Journey to the West, features it as where the Monkey King Sun Wukong found his golden cudgel.
—New Atlas, 28 Dec. 2025
Verb
Hitler exploited his 37% to gridlock legislative processes, to cudgel or crush the political opposition, and ultimately to undermine the country’s democratic structures.
—Timothy Ryback, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
Before long, fairs had such attractions as cudgelling bouts, bearbaiting, and something called gouging.
—Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023
See All Example Sentences for cudgel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cudgel
Noun
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Here, a neutral palette, cane furniture, and botanical textiles lend the accommodation a cozy, comfortable feel.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2026
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Fall-fruiting raspberries fruit on canes that grew in the current season (primocanes), whereas summer-bearing raspberries only develop fruit on second-year canes (floricanes).—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Using a giant rock, Linda bludgeoned the local boat captain and sent both him and Zuri plunging to their deaths.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
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The 12-30 Nets have lost 11 of their last 13, including a 120-66 bludgeoning against the New York Knicks on Wednesday.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Taking the baton Pacific Symphony announced its 2026-27 Classical Series, marking the orchestra’s 48th season, and its first under the leadership of its new artistic and music director, Alexander Shelley.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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Coming on midway into the second half, a few substitutes ran with the baton against a softened opponent.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Pellegrino, a 6-foot-3 forward who’s nearly devoid of body fat and brims with energy, clouted the ball out the air for the third goal and ran toward the supporters section, raising the crowd’s volume.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Nov. 2025
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The recall was widely seen as a litmus test for how much clout the national conservative group can wield in non-partisan local politics.—
Maritza Dominguez,
AZCentral.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Emotions were hot during a House Judiciary Committee hearing this past week where Bondi was assailed by lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, who accused the Justice Department of redacting the names of multiple men for political reasons.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
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Horvath, 43, has been one of the mayor’s most outspoken critics over the past year, assailing her record on homelessness and last year’s Palisades fire, which destroyed thousands of homes and left 12 people dead.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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It can be enjoyed as a salad (be sure to massage the leaves first) or chopped and cooked in stews, soups, curries, and more.—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Martha Stewart,
9 Feb. 2026
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Fresh marigold leaves were rinsed, chopped, crushed, centrifuged, filtered, and evaporated.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But tens of thousands of films are made each year, and quite a few of them break the rules, defy conventional narrative expectations and smack us deep in our souls.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
8 Feb. 2026
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Shepard attached the head of a 6-iron golf club to his sample collecting tool and was recorded smacking a couple golf balls across the lunar landscape.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When players from the United States and Czechia whacked their sticks on the ice in unison during warmups, the sound rattled out like a shot.—
The Sports Desk,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
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Walker is making $20 million this season and whacked a team-leading 27 home runs in 2025.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cudgel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cudgel. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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