as in defeat
failure to win a contest
took a terrible drubbing in last night's basketball game
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pounding
to strike repeatedly
a crowd was drubbing the purse snatcher when the police arrived on the scene
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in whipping
to defeat by a large margin
we drubbed our traditional football rivals so badly that it was basically no contest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drubbing
Brody Ford, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
The team was soundly defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, including a 40-point drubbing in the decisive Game 6.
—Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
But Darnold struggled in the Vikings’ final two games, including a 27-9 drubbing by the Rams in his playoff debut.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
Joshua takes advantage of cold-shooting Cleburne Joshua took a leg up in staying in the running for the final playoff spot in District 8-5A with a 42-19 drubbing of Cleburne on Friday night at Cleburne High School.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Jan. 2026
The Penguins scored four times in the second period, quickly turning a tie game into a drubbing.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Bronny James provided some of the few Lakers highlights in the team’s worst loss of the season — a 129-99 drubbing by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday — to turn an emotional homecoming for his father into a happy return for the 21-year-old.
—Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
And because only days before the February 2021 surgery Mahomes had scrambled a stupefying 497 yards behind the line of scrimmage before throwing the ball or being sacked in a 31-9 drubbing by Tampa Bay in Super Bowl LV.
—Kansas City Star, 22 Jan. 2026
Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced his resignation, stepping away from politics as polls show his party headed for a drubbing in the next election.
—Mathieu Dion, Bloomberg, 14 Jan. 2026
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
For another, this drubbing, unlike many previous ones, was triggered not by fears of a bubble but rather concern that AI is on the verge of supplanting the business models of a wide swathe of companies that doomsayers have long predicted were at risk.
—Brody Ford, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
The team was soundly defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, including a 40-point drubbing in the decisive Game 6.
—Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
But Darnold struggled in the Vikings’ final two games, including a 27-9 drubbing by the Rams in his playoff debut.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
Joshua takes advantage of cold-shooting Cleburne Joshua took a leg up in staying in the running for the final playoff spot in District 8-5A with a 42-19 drubbing of Cleburne on Friday night at Cleburne High School.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Jan. 2026
The Penguins scored four times in the second period, quickly turning a tie game into a drubbing.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Bronny James provided some of the few Lakers highlights in the team’s worst loss of the season — a 129-99 drubbing by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday — to turn an emotional homecoming for his father into a happy return for the 21-year-old.
—Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
And because only days before the February 2021 surgery Mahomes had scrambled a stupefying 497 yards behind the line of scrimmage before throwing the ball or being sacked in a 31-9 drubbing by Tampa Bay in Super Bowl LV.
—Kansas City Star, 22 Jan. 2026
Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced his resignation, stepping away from politics as polls show his party headed for a drubbing in the next election.
—Mathieu Dion, Bloomberg, 14 Jan. 2026
Verb
The mighty Mariners, who mashed five solo home runs at raucous T-Mobile Park, clinched their title by drubbing Major League Baseball’s doormat, aka the Colorado Rockies, 9-2.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drubbing
Noun
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Stafford also engineered late game-winning drives in playoff victories over the Carolina Panthers and the Chicago Bears before the Rams suffered a 31-27 defeat by the Seahawks in the NFC championship.—
Gary Klein,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Seattle bounced back from a defeat against the Ducks at Honda Center 24 hours earlier that snapped a four-game win streak.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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With its newest release, Canadian RV specialist Leisure Travel Vans (LTV) adjusts focus from luxurious leisure to heart-pounding adventure travel.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
-
But if Robert Icke’s pulse-pounding Broadway production is any indication, Sophocles’ 2,500-year-old Greek tragedy still has the ability to shock.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Before Katherine LaNasa was whipping the ER into shape as Nurse Dana on The Pitt, the actress made a memorable impression on Seinfeld viewers.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Legacy of Monsters, complete with a monster tail whipping across half the room.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Those market jitters saw over $1 trillion wiped from the market caps of big tech firms, though some stocks have since recovered some of their losses.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
-
That was Wembanyama, who had 14 points, six rebounds and three blocks in the World’s first loss and 19 points – including a pair of clutch 3-pointers – in its second.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Oc Register,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As finger-licking as the savory food is, the real headliner here is dessert.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
-
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
Verb
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For Lucy, that meant realizing that her dad had lied about his true intentions and his role in bombing Shady Sands.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
4 Feb. 2026
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This is a program where UCLA assistant coach Rod Palmer once had teams competing against the best when alumnus Arron Affalo was bombing in threes and delivering dunks before going on to UCLA and the NBA.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Minnesota outscored Wisconsin 28-13 in a difference-making second quarter to lead 40-31 at the break after Grace Grocholski’s buzzer-beating three.—
Staff Report,
Twin Cities,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Colmenarez told the Herald that he was contacted that fall by the FBI, which wanted to talk with him about Quero Silva and the beatings at the national guard headquarters in Barquisimeto.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The carnivorous mammal's teeth-baring image suggests a wilderness pushed to the margins and lashing out.—
Felicia Feaster,
AJC.com,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Vance often has served as an attack dog for the administration, including lashing out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an Oval Office visit.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drubbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drubbing. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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