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Synonyms

drubbing

American  
[druhb-ing] / ˈdrʌb ɪŋ /

noun

  1. a beating; a sound thrashing.

  2. a decisive, humiliating defeat, as in a game or contest.

drubbing British  
/ ˈdrʌbɪŋ /

noun

  1. a beating, as with a stick, cudgel, etc

  2. a comprehensive or heavy defeat, esp in a sporting competition

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of drubbing

First recorded in 1640–50; drub + -ing 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Broadcom’s stock rose in after-hours trading Wednesday following its fiscal first-quarter report, but that comes on the heels of a drubbing the shares have taken of late.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

But don’t resign yourself to a tax drubbing.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

And sure enough, he was picked out among the Principality Stadium crowd when Wales suffered a 10-try drubbing by England during last year's Six Nations.

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026

Donald Trump‘s entire Cabinet came in for a drubbing when “Saturday Night Live” returned from holiday break this weekend.

From Salon • Jan. 18, 2026

“Bit of a drubbing, if I’m being honest.”

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.