as in licks
to strike repeatedly
pummeled the mugger with her fists until help arrived
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pummels
Three states are expecting significant waves, high winds, and heavy precipitation later this week as an atmospheric river pummels the Pacific Northwest.
—
Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
On a crowded street, Morejón strides up to the man and pummels him to the ground.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Israel pummels Gaza by cosplaying at self defense.
—James Folta
september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
Russia pummels Ukraine overnight as peace talks stall Russia hammered Ukraine with 526 drones overnight, a further escalation of Moscow’s aerial assault.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Some brief thoughts on the ubiquitous popstar’s latest album, which is cheeky, provocative, and absolutely pummels you with hooks.
—Shaad D’souza, Pitchfork, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pummels
Verb
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Everybody licks the big pink flesh wall.—
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Posted to the account @maisythemarshmallow on September 19, the video shows the dog, named Maisy, lying calmly as the cat snuggles up and licks her face.—
Verb
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And while Americans’ overall ideological self-identification looks stable in the aggregate (37% very conservative/conservative, 34% moderate, 25% very liberal/liberal), a January 2025 Gallup poll shows that this steadiness hides tectonic tensions tugging beneath the surface.—
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Now, Scieszka’s debut filters Tuck Everlasting-esque immortality through the social media age—examining how someone hides their eternal lifespan from facial recognition technology and venture capitalists looking to capitalize upon family property and the ultimate anti-aging secrets.—
Verb
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Or whips around his defender in a bold pirouette.—
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Marty whips off his sport coat and throws it in the crowd.—
Verb
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But this has been a glorious year regardless of whether Miami beats the Indiana-Oregon winner or not.—
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That beats using a garage or carport.—
Verb
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The tarp slaps the frame of the truck’s roof.—
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As the scrum disperses, D’Angelo turns to you and slaps you five.—
Verb
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Three weeks later, in early October, Kim knocks on Helen’s door.—
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One of the biggest knocks on him is his lack of experience.—
Verb
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But dropping the gloves can feel like an exasperating last act born of desperation and hopelessness - a door that slams behind you, leaves you in the dark and seldom reopens.—
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Trump slams Mamdani after primary win Mamdani’s primary victory shocked the political establishment and excited progressives.—
Cite this Entry
“Pummels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pummels. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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