Definition of 'bludgeon'

Word Frequency

bludgeon

(blʌdʒən )

Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense bludgeons , present participle bludgeoning , past tense, past participle bludgeoned

1. verb

To bludgeon someone means to hit them several times with a heavy object.

He broke into the old man's house and bludgeoned him with a hammer. [VERB noun]

A wealthy businessman has been found bludgeoned to death. [V-ed + to]

Synonyms: club, batter, beat, strike More Synonyms of bludgeon

2. verb

If someone bludgeons you into doing something, they make you do it by behaving aggressively.

Their approach simply bludgeons you into submission. [VERB noun + into]

His relentless aggression bludgeons you into seeing his point. [V n into n/-ing]

Synonyms: bully, force, cow, intimidate More Synonyms of bludgeon

More Synonyms of bludgeon

Word Frequency

bludgeon in British

(ˈblʌdʒən )

noun

a stout heavy club, typically thicker at one end

a person, line of argument, etc, that is effective but unsubtle

verb (transitive)

to hit or knock down with or as with a bludgeon

4. (often foll by into)

to force; bully; coerce

they bludgeoned him into accepting the job

Derived forms

bludgeoner (ˈbludgeoner)

noun

Word origin of 'bludgeon'

C18: of uncertain origin

Word Frequency

bludgeon in American

(ˈblʌdʒən ; blujˈən)

noun

a short club with a thick, heavy, or loaded end

verb transitive, verb intransitive

to strike with or as with a bludgeon

to bully or coerce

Word origin of 'bludgeon'

? altered < MFr bougeon, dim. of bouge, a club

Word Lists

club

Trends of 'bludgeon'

Used Rarely. bludgeon is in the lower 50% of commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

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Translations for 'bludgeon'

British English: bludgeon VERB

To bludgeon someone means to hit them several times with a heavy object.

He broke into the old man's house and bludgeoned him with a hammer.

American English: bludgeon
Brazilian Portuguese: bater em
Chinese: > 连击用重器
European Spanish: apalear
French: matraquer
German: niederknüppeln
Italian: colpire ripetutamentecon un oggetto
Japanese: 殴打する
Korean: 둔기로 때리다
European Portuguese: bater em
Spanish: apalear

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Nearby words of 'bludgeon'

Source

Definition of bludgeon from the Collins English Dictionary

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