as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
pummeled the mugger with her fists until help arrived
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Recent Examples of pummel
Certainly, the viewership for the Coca-Cola 600 won’t rival that of Thursday night football (the NFL pummels every other American pro sports league in terms of TV ratings).
—
Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 21 May 2025
The Boston City Council unanimously approved a home rule petition that would hike disability pension benefits for a former city schoolteacher who was pummeled by a 16-year-old student in a 2021 attack that left her with traumatic brain damage.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 21 May 2025
The Kansas City area was pummeled with up to 4 inches of rain, 80 mph winds and hail on Monday afternoon.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 20 May 2025
After trailing by double digits in every prior game of the series, the Knicks flipped the script — pummeling the Celtics in a wire-to-wire 119-81 rout to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals, their first appearance since 2000.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pummel
Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 21 May 2025
The Boston City Council unanimously approved a home rule petition that would hike disability pension benefits for a former city schoolteacher who was pummeled by a 16-year-old student in a 2021 attack that left her with traumatic brain damage.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 21 May 2025
The Kansas City area was pummeled with up to 4 inches of rain, 80 mph winds and hail on Monday afternoon.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 20 May 2025
After trailing by double digits in every prior game of the series, the Knicks flipped the script — pummeling the Celtics in a wire-to-wire 119-81 rout to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals, their first appearance since 2000.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pummel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pummel
Verb
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The flames that licked through the football fields and tennis courts at Pali High devoured touchstones of an iconic campus—featured in films like Carrie and Freaky Friday.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
5 June 2025
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Besides, Angela already got her lick back from Porsha’s comments about Charles by instigating the already precarious relationship between Porsha and her bestie and bringing Drew the news that Porsha filmed with Dennis.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
2 June 2025
Verb
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The idea is simple: guests hide small rubber ducks around the ship for others to find.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
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You could be owed part of $95 million settlement May 8, 2025 4:54 PM Read Next National Fashion Nova owes customers $2.4 million after hiding negative reviews, feds say January 30, 2025 5:37 PM Read Next National Robitussin sued over non-drowsy claims.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2025
Verb
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His answers often incite him to pound his fist on the meeting table, interspersed with loud exclamations.—
Thor Svaboe,
Robb Report,
13 June 2025
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His approach emphasizes collaboration with industry to create a framework where the rules are clearly known as the primary regulatory tool rather than aggressive enforcement based on applying existing laws, which many industry insiders described as pounding a square peg into a round hole.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
Verb
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Gordon mentions beating the Bears’ rivals as one of his key team goals for the 2025 season.—
DJ Siddiqi,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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This, in turn, provoked police to wade into the crowd, beating people with nightsticks.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
10 June 2025
Verb
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The hostilities began when Trump lashed out at Musk's criticism of the Republican tax-cut and spending bill, and quickly escalated into an all-out online brawl on Trump's Truth Social and Musk's X, with prominent businessmen, analysts and political names weighing in on the fight.—
Anniek Bao,Dylan Butts,Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
6 June 2025
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Bosses who lash out to get workers in line, by contrast, often feel a sense of accomplishment.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
6 June 2025
Verb
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The suspect, who sported pink hair and several face piercings, got into the 68-year-old victim’s cab around 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 4, pretending to be a customer, but instead whipped out a knife and demanded the victim’s property, according to cops.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
5 June 2025
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For example, defendants in this state are allowed to hire experts to lie and the defense can then whip the public into a frenzy by promoting the lies.—
Wendy Murphy,
Boston Herald,
4 June 2025
Verb
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Minutes before a team of fully uniformed, stick-carrying players were to leave the dressing room to take the ice for the national anthem, a rat pelted across the carpet.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2025
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And then sit there getting pelted by even more rain and win.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
15 May 2025
Verb
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The European Union has been working to strike a trade agreement with the US, conscious in particular of Trump’s recent threat to slap a 50% tariff on goods arriving from the bloc.—
Anna Cooban,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
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Price hikes happened quickly after Trump slapped steep levies on trading partners, whether large or small.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pummel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pummel. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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