Thesaurus results for SLUGGING

slugging

verb

present participle of slug

as in hitting

to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner she got so angry that she slugged the back of the chair and knocked it over

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of slugging None should be feared more than the slugging Junior Caminero, who will get MVP votes after mashing 42 homers. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 2 Oct. 2026 A week after piling up 245 yards rushing while slugging its way past Syracuse in its ACC opener, the Panthers focused on getting Heintschel going against the FCS-level Bison. — ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026 And an afternoon slugging pints at Hog’s Head at Wizarding World of Harry Potter is certainly not the equivalent of a day at an authentic British pub. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026 With a position player on the mound, the Cubs didn’t stop slugging. — Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Friday marked their first loss when slugging that many homers since June 25, 2025, also against the Mariners. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026 Mancini returned in 2021 for the Orioles, slugging 21 homers that season, participating in the Home Run Derby and winning the American League Comeback Player of the Year Award. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Guerrero, who left Friday’s game to be tested for a concussion, hasn’t started slugging. — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026 Rice is slugging almost 100 points higher than Kurtz, though the A’s slugger’s ability to get on base has their OPS numbers in a comparable range. — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slugging

Verb

The national Democratic effort to defeat Collins kept going; now the party is spending millions on an ad hitting her for a ProPublica story about her links to a corrupt defense contractor.

— Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Last year in Arizona, a motorcyclist was fatally injured after hitting a Waymo and being flung into the road.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of hitting

Verb

Bella chews him out for punching Angus in the face right before Angus’s big presentation, which Johnny knew about because they were supposed to throw a return supper for him, a dinner Johnny was supposed to cook.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Castro whips her head around and follows him, punching him in the back.

— Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of punching

Verb

For the hearing impaired, select rooms feature visual fire alarms plus signals for telephone ringing and door knocking.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Political handicapping has a way of knocking people down a couple of notches.

— Nathan Gonzales CQ-Roll Call, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of knocking

Verb

Iran has tried to push world energy prices higher with attacks on the region's oil shipping routes; the United States, in turn, has aimed to wreck Iran's economy by blockading its ports since June and slapping it with increasingly tough sanctions.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026
The officers walked over to the man and told him to place his hands behind his back, slapping him in cuffs in front of customers and coworkers.

— Kate Payne, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of slapping

Verb

But Varma and Shivam Dube (27) upped the ante in the final three overs by smacking 57 runs against Sufyan Moqim, Ayub and Ahmed Daniyal.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Carrington was ejected from the game in the first half after smacking Cunningham across the face during Cunningham's layup attempt.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of smacking

Verb

Donalds’ speech ran the gamut of Republican campaign points, from slamming COVID lockdowns to border crossings.

— Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
On the same day, HHS senior adviser Calley Means doubled down on the claim, posting on X that Kennedy is doing so well that Democratic operatives are slamming the FDA for doing its job by conducting food recalls.

— Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of slamming

Verb

One man was already pounding another's head into a small hole that prisoners used as a toilet.

— Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Breaking Benjamin As pounding as any heavy metal band, this Pennsylvania group hammers its way to surprisingly melodic choruses.

— Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2026