bludgeon

American  

[bluhj-uhn] / ˈblʌdʒ ən /

noun

1. a short, heavy club with one end weighted, or thicker and heavier than the other.

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verb (used with object)

1. to strike or knock down with a bludgeon.

2. to force into something; coerce; bully.

   The boss finally bludgeoned him into accepting responsibility.

bludgeon British  

/ ˈblʌdʒən /

noun

1. a stout heavy club, typically thicker at one end

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

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verb

1. to hit or knock down with or as with a bludgeon

2. (often foll by into) to force; bully; coerce

   they bludgeoned him into accepting the job

Other Word Forms

• bludgeoneer noun
• bludgeoner noun

Etymology

Origin of bludgeon

First recorded in 1720–30; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

A lack of jet fuel has bludgeoned the critical tourism sector.

From Los Angeles Times

And when they weren't doing that, Tomasso Menoncello - bound for Toulouse and more superstar days - was bludgeoning his way into space.

From BBC

“Learn to Fly” and “Times Like These” were crisply melodic; “My Hero,” which Grohl dedicated to Smear and his broken foot, was somehow bludgeoning and propulsive.

From Los Angeles Times

And so a coach known for defense had to watch his team get bludgeoned inside once again while giving up an unusually frightening number of easy baskets.

From Los Angeles Times

“I cannot take any more spoken or silently whispered backstabbing and bludgeoning of my character and identity,” she wrote in the message late last month.

From Los Angeles Times