cudgel

1 of 2

noun

cud·​gel ˈkə-jəl How to pronounce cudgel (audio)
Synonyms of cudgel
: a short heavy club
… grasped more firmly a stout oaken cudgel …—Jane G. Austin

cudgel

2 of 2

verb

cudgeled or cudgelled; cudgeling or cudgelling
ˈkəj-liŋ, 
ˈkə-jə- How to pronounce cudgel (audio)

transitive verb

: to beat with or as if with a cudgel
see also:
cudgel one's brains

Synonyms of cudgel

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of cudgel in a Sentence

Noun a farmer armed with a cudgel drove us off his land
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.
Noun
For decades, it has been harnessed effectively by Republicans as a racist cudgel to generate fear. — Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 20 May 2026 The three main mayoral candidates seem to have finally prioritized the problem, or at least understand its value as a cudgel against each other. — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
Before long, fairs had such attractions as cudgelling bouts, bearbaiting, and something called gouging. — Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023 Bruce Springsteen was standing up to the president, while universities and law firms were being cudgeled and cowed. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cudgel

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English kuggel, from Old English cycgel; perhaps akin to Middle High German kugele ball

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1596, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cudgel was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing cudgel

Browse Nearby Words

cuddyhole
cudgel
cudgel one's brains
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cudgel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cudgel. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

cudgel

1 of 2 noun
cud·​gel ˈkəj-əl How to pronounce cudgel (audio)
: a short heavy club

cudgel

2 of 2 verb
cudgeled or cudgelled; cudgeling or cudgelling
-(ə-)liŋ
: to beat with or as if with a cudgel

More from Merriam-Webster on cudgel

Nglish: Translation of cudgel for Spanish Speakers

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