1
as in abused
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 licked
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 mauled
In September, a 71-year-old woman was mauled to death by dogs in Miami Gardens, and a dog killed a 5-month-old infant near Daytona Beach in July.
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Nicole R. Kurtz, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025
The botanical zoo, which is home to hundreds of animal species, confirmed Machado, 19, was mauled to death in a news release shared on Instagram.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025
The child, found mauled in a sugarcane field, died on the way to hospital.
—CBS News, 1 Dec. 2025
Leona, the lioness who mauled the teen, is under evaluation.
—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
What To Know On October 27, a 79-year-old woman was found dead near her home in northeastern Japan’s Akita Prefecture, on the island of Honshu, with facial injuries suggesting she had been mauled by a bear, according to local reports.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
As Chris Brown speeds toward a February trial in the case of a housekeeper who was mauled by a security dog at his Los Angeles house five years ago, the singer is sharing his detailed description of the incident, in his own words, for the first time.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025
An Ohio woman was sentenced to prison after officials said her 6-month-old baby was mauled to death by a dog after being left unsupervised.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mauled
Verb
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The suit alleges that Ham abused her repeatedly over a number of years, and that defendants knew of the abuse, but instead chose to prioritize reputational and financial interests over her safety.—
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Canty, a former special agent in charge of the SBI’s Charlotte region office, resigned from the Mecklenburg Sheriff’s Office in November 2024 and issued a letter then alleging that McFadden abused his powers.—
Verb
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Some even licked the candy to soften it -- a trick used by contestants in the show.—
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Napkins were crumpled; plates were licked.—
Verb
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Crabtree stopped, turned, attacked the ball and snagged it.—
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Nelson claimed to police that the man attacked her and their son after opening the car door.—
Verb
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The Celtics pounded the paint with Neemias Queta and Luka Garza, a pair of bruising bigs who also can force the issue from 3-point range despite their lumbering dispositions.—
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Trump seems to have arrived, on his own, at the same understanding of geography and politics that was pounded into the heads of Soviet schoolchildren, including Putin and me.—
Verb
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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.—
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Coogan’s improbable honor was a beautiful bit of symbolism that recognized the manner in which these hard-nosed Hoosiers physically manhandled the Crimson Tide to reach the College Football Playoff semifinals with their 38-3 victory Thursday.—
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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The California economy was lashed all year by tumult in Hollywood, which has been hit by a slowdown in filming as well as media and entertainment industry consolidation.—
Verb
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While refusing to fight for the Confederacy and trying to reach safety in Mexico, the group was ambushed by Confederate soldiers on horseback in the 1862 Battle of the Nueces, also called the Nueces massacre.—
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The Colorado Avalanche ambushed the Ottawa Senators’ goaltenders so badly Thursday night, the visitors signed a new one in the middle of the game.—
Verb
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Trump has said previously that the Cuban economy, battered by years of an American embargo, would slide further with the ouster of Maduro.—
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The arts scene in South Florida has been battered by funding cuts at the federal and state levels over the last few years.—
Cite this Entry
“Mauled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mauled. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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