MUTILATE Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'mutilate' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of mutilate are batter , cripple , maim , and mangle . While all these words mean "to injure so severely as to cause lasting damage," mutilate implies the cutting off or removal of an essential part of a person or thing thereby impairing its completeness, beauty, or function. // a tree mutilated by inept pruning

Q: Where would 'batter' be a reasonable alternative to 'mutilate'?

Although the words batter and mutilate have much in common, batter implies a series of blows that bruise deeply, deform, or mutilate. // an old ship battered by fierce storms

Q: When is 'cripple' a more appropriate choice than 'mutilate'?

The words cripple and mutilate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, cripple implies the loss or serious impairment of an arm or leg. // crippled for life in an accident

Q: When can 'maim' be used instead of 'mutilate'?

The meanings of maim and mutilate largely overlap; however, maim implies the loss or injury of a bodily member through violence. // maimed by a shark

Q: When could 'mangle' be used to replace 'mutilate'?

While in some cases nearly identical to mutilate , mangle implies a tearing or crushing that leaves deep wounds. // a soldier's leg mangled by shrapnel

mutilate

verb

ˈmyü-tə-ˌlāt

Definition of mutilate

as in to cripple

to cause severe or permanent injury to was lucky not to be mutilated in the car crash

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the verb mutilate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of mutilate are batter, cripple, maim, and mangle. While all these words mean "to injure so severely as to cause lasting damage," mutilate implies the cutting off or removal of an essential part of a person or thing thereby impairing its completeness, beauty, or function.

a tree mutilated by inept pruning

Where would batter be a reasonable alternative to mutilate?

Although the words batter and mutilate have much in common, batter implies a series of blows that bruise deeply, deform, or mutilate.

an old ship battered by fierce storms

When is cripple a more appropriate choice than mutilate?

The words cripple and mutilate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, cripple implies the loss or serious impairment of an arm or leg.

crippled for life in an accident

When can maim be used instead of mutilate?

The meanings of maim and mutilate largely overlap; however, maim implies the loss or injury of a bodily member through violence.

maimed by a shark

When could mangle be used to replace mutilate?

While in some cases nearly identical to mutilate, mangle implies a tearing or crushing that leaves deep wounds.

a soldier's leg mangled by shrapnel

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of mutilate The murderers followed them to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and proceeded to kill and mutilate them, too. — Literary Hub, 26 May 2026 The victims in Louisiana and Florida were all stabbed, with some mutilated and several appeared posed suggestively. — Corin Cesaric, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026 Tony Lee Hughes, 38, of the 600 block of Camelot Manor, is charged with Level 6 felonies of killing a domestic animal and mutilating a vertebrate animal. — Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026 Ravelo was the leader and organizer of invitation-only internet groups dedicated to the sharing and discussion of videos depicting monkeys being mutilated and tortured, the DOJ said in a statement. — Sofia Saric may 24, Miami Herald, 24 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for mutilate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mutilate

Verb

Sanctions on remittance and food delivery apps could further cripple the island nation, María José Espinosa, executive director of the Center for Engagement and Advocacy in the Americas, said.

— Rick Jervis, USA Today, 1 July 2026
As a result, teams across the league have become more wary about handing out big-money, long-term deals in free agency, as one mistake has the potential to cripple a franchise.

— Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Definition of cripple

Verb

There's an apocryphal story about its creations; supposedly Kryptonite was invented so Superman's voice actor Bud Collyer could take vacations while the Man of Steel was incapacitated.

— James Grebey, Time, 26 June 2026
Airbus UpNext's DragonFly project is developing AI that manages complex emergencies autonomously when the crew is incapacitated.

— Tanya Eves, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

Definition of incapacitate

Verb

On Sunday, Russia bombarded Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv with dozens of missiles and hundreds of strike drones, killing at least 11 and injuring scores more, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and media reports.

— Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 7 July 2026
The shootings, which also injured four people, occurred at two Fourth of July block parties about two miles apart, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

— Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026

Definition of injure

Verb

The attack only maims Aegon, who is left bedridden and unable to walk on his own.

— Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 20 June 2026
Towards the end of the season, Chris relapses and starts using again, leading to a car crash that leaves him maimed, giving Tony no other option but to whack his underling.

— Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026

Definition of maim

Verb

The enormous kinetic energy generated by the impact is sufficient to destroy or disable the target without carrying a large explosive payload.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026
Bright Angel was the first site SHERLOC examined after a dust-cover anomaly disabled its focusing mechanism, forcing the team to adopt a new operating mode.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 4 July 2026

Definition of disable

Verb

Massive explosions lit up the night sky as ballistic missiles and drones hammered parts of the city, killing at least 14 people in the city and three others in the surrounding region, with dozens more wounded, city officials said.

— Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Alicent and Helaena will be held prisoner until Aemond is found and killed.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026

Definition of kill

Verb

The incident would live on in the national consciousness and permanently scar Exxon’s reputation.

— Alex Kuffner, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Instead of rigid probes that scar the brain, the porous, ultraflexible meshes were built to match the softness of cells and move with them.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 4 Mar. 2026

Definition of scar

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mutes

mutilate

mutilated

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“Mutilate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mutilate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of mutilate

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