MANGLE Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

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

Some common synonyms of mangle are batter , cripple , maim , and mutilate . While all these words mean "to injure so severely as to cause lasting damage," mangle implies a tearing or crushing that leaves deep wounds. // a soldier's leg mangled by shrapnel

Q: When would 'batter' be a good substitute for 'mangle'?

Although the words batter and mangle 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 could 'cripple' be used to replace 'mangle'?

While in some cases nearly identical to mangle , cripple implies the loss or serious impairment of an arm or leg. // crippled for life in an accident

Q: When is 'maim' a more appropriate choice than 'mangle'?

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

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

The synonyms mutilate and mangle are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

mangle

verb

ˈmaŋ-gəl

Definition of mangle

as in to fumble

to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way you've mangled this so badly that we'll have to do it over

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the verb mangle contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of mangle are batter, cripple, maim, and mutilate. While all these words mean "to injure so severely as to cause lasting damage," mangle implies a tearing or crushing that leaves deep wounds.

a soldier's leg mangled by shrapnel

When would batter be a good substitute for mangle?

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

an old ship battered by fierce storms

When could cripple be used to replace mangle?

While in some cases nearly identical to mangle, cripple implies the loss or serious impairment of an arm or leg.

crippled for life in an accident

When is maim a more appropriate choice than mangle?

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

maimed by a shark

Where would mutilate be a reasonable alternative to mangle?

The synonyms mutilate and mangle are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

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 mangle Torrey Pines was the site of his last top-10 finish on the PGA Tour in 2020, a year before Woods badly mangled his right leg in a car crash on a coastal Los Angeles road. —Doug Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025 The plane was found upside-down in three sections in shallow water – including the partly submerged wing and mangled fuselage. —Ray Sanchez and Chelsea Bailey, CNN, 1 Feb. 2025 Hertz grew up skateboarding in Dogtown and then, in the evening, peeking at his dad’s slides of faces horribly burned and mangled. —Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2025 The severance can mangle their sense of freedom, marring liberation with guilt and anger. —Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mangle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mangle

Verb

These are both great, morally complex characters with compelling stories and the trailer certainly looks terrific: However much Disney has fumbled the Star Wars IP over the last decade, the animated stuff has mostly been quite good.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
The characters in Megan Howell’s short stories, which glide into scenes of magical realism, are lonely people facing the harsh realities of an often violent world and fumbling toward something more hopeful.

— Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2025