1
as in to abuse
to abuse physically
demonstrators who claimed that they had been mauled by the police
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
the irate store owner was mauling the shoplifter when the police showed up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of maul
Kate Reilly, NBC news, 1 Dec. 2025
In his experience, a person mauled by a grizzly was usually bitten and battered but then left to die and ripen before being eaten; a black bear would kill outright and feed immediately.
—William D. Brown, Outdoor Life, 13 Nov. 2025
Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024
Using the baton technique, the Mora Companion Spark chops wood like a spitting maul.
—Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for maul
Verb
Leona, the lioness who mauled the teen, is under evaluation.
—Noun
Cama’s 7-point try box came in the 74th minute and was a result of the Legion muscling their way to a series of successful scrums, mauls and rucks before Cama punched it over inside the 5-meter line area.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for maul
Verb
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The pair also pretended that Tammy was allegedly abusing them.—
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In handing down the sentence, Montenegro said Bonillo understood the scope of his misdeeds, abused his position of trust and used that position to enrich himself while undermining CBP’s main goal.—
Verb
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Weir picked up his first guitar licks from David Nelson and future Jefferson Airplane member Jorma Kaukonen.—
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Other photos showed Owen proudly licking the faces of his owners and getting some hugs and pats from the reality star, her husband and children.—
Noun
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As players shoot around, Jake cradles a ball before blowing past an imaginary defender to hammer home a dunk.—
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In 2022, the FBI investigated a 14-year-old Sturdivant after an ISIS member from the United Kingdom contacted him via a PlayStation and told him to dress in all black and attack his neighbor with a hammer and knife.—
Verb
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Kyiv — Russia attacked Ukraine with a hypersonic Oreshnik missile overnight Thursday, a rare use of one of its most advanced weapons during the latest onslaught targeting the country amid freezing temperatures.—
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Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with 242 drones and 36 missiles, the Ukrainian Air Force said Friday morning.—
Verb
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As wind continues to pound the camp, a wooden pole delicately holds up the tarpaulin keeping him dry.—
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This is a chest-out, table-pounding call to arms for Orlando NFL fans who’ve spent way too long waiting for permission to care.—
Noun
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In the video released by police, two masked suspects dressed in all black swung what appeared to be a sledgehammer into the store’s windowed entrance.—
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Some are relatively simple, spanning a narrow stream and created by a team with a chainsaw and a sledgehammer.—
Verb
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Nevertheless, Smith, 27, still had the last laugh courtesy of a 25th-minute strike on the half-volley made all the more impressive by how Matt Clarke was attempting to manhandle the forward to the ground as the cross from the equally lively Nathan Broadhead came in.—
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Before his team manhandled Miami, Vrabel gave voice to this during a pregame radio interview when answering if the Patriots might rest starters in order to preserve their health for the playoffs.—
Verb
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Trump has also repeatedly lashed out over the state’s incarceration of Tina Peters, the former county clerk convicted of state felonies related to her attempts to prove discredited election conspiracies shared by the president.—
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According to Augustinus Bader, apply to brows and lashes morning and night.—
Cite this Entry
“Maul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maul. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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