pummel
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
- unpummeled adjective
- unpummelled adjective
Etymology
Origin of pummel
First recorded in 1540–50; alteration of pommel
Explanation
The best pummelers in the world are probably boxers, as to pummel means to repeatedly beat someone down, especially with fists. The main sense of pummel is physical, but you can use it figuratively when something is taking a beating. During a stock market crash, the economy is being pummeled. A heavy rain can pummel the earth. If you get three bad math grades in a row, it feels like numbers themselves are pummeling you. When many bad things happen at once, it feels like you're being pummeled by life.
Vocabulary lists containing pummel
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Super Bowl Blowout: Epic Vocab for the Big Game
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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
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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.
If oil prices go significantly higher, that could pummel spending and employment, prompting the Fed to cut rates to prevent a recession.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026
Tornadoes, thunderstorms and blizzard conditions are forecast to pummel parts of the eastern US.
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
Inter, the three-time European champions who are currently 10 points clear at the top of Serie A, were expected to pummel their visitors in an attempt to turn the tie around.
From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026
This week, investors became very worried that rapidly-advancing AI capabilities offered by companies like Anthropic are going to pummel any company with services that include enterprise software.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 4, 2026
These are all ways to be away, to set aside the images that scream and pummel.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
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.
