pummel

verb

pum·​mel ˈpə-məl How to pronounce pummel (audio)
pummeled also pummelled; pummeling also pummelling ˈpə-mə-liŋ How to pronounce pummel (audio)
ˈpəm-liŋ
Synonyms of pummelnext
: pound, beat

Synonyms of pummel

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of pummel in a Sentence

pummeled the mugger with her fists until help arrived
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Several other towns experienced flash flooding as rain pummeled the northern part of the state. — Christina Fan, CBS News, 29 July 2026 Lockhart had pummeled her face beyond recognition — requiring the use of dental records to confirm her identity. — Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 24 July 2026 But the downpour that suddenly hit the area last Friday afternoon was unusually strong and caused multiple mudslides that pummeled homes and businesses. — Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026 Winter Storm Uri, the multiday freeze that slammed Texas in February 2021 and pummeled the state’s power grid, has been on Kenneth Kovar’s mind ever since. — Alexa St. John, Fortune, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for pummel

Word History

Etymology

alteration of pommel

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pummel was in 1548

Rhymes for pummel

See All Rhymes for pummel

Browse Nearby Words

pumicite
pummel
pummelo
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pummel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pummel. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

pummel

verb
pum·​mel ˈpəm-əl How to pronounce pummel (audio)
pummeled or pummelled; pummeling or pummelling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce pummel (audio)
1
: pound entry 3 sense 2a, beat
knead and pummel the dough
2
: to defeat decisively
pummeled the competition

More from Merriam-Webster on pummel

Nglish: Translation of pummel for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of invidious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All