EN

Synonyms for mangle

  • verb
  • noun

Most common

destroy maim mutilate dismember hack muddy maul rend

All synonyms

Verb

1. Mutilate

mutilate, dismember, maim, destroy, deface, injure, mar, spoil, murder, disfigure, impair

Other

cut, rend, maul, hack, tear, hack about UK, muddy, lacerate

Noun

cut-up, iron, press, wringer, smooth, mangrove, calender, mangler

Definitions

  1. v. 1

    To change, mutilate, or disfigure by cutting, tearing, rearranging, etc.

  2. n. 1

    A hand-operated device with rollers, for wringing laundry.

Forms

Plural
mangles → cut-ups, irons, presses, wringers…
Past participle
mangled
e.g. mangled → mutilated, dismembered, maimed, destroyed…

Choose the right word

Mangle or Lacerate?

Mangle is a stronger word than lacerate; lacerate is more superficial, mangle more complete.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

  • destroy Do you really think it will destroy my reputation?
  • maim If you try to stare down a bear, it will maim you.
  • dismember It's very unusual for a killer to dismember a body.
  • hack Gustavo managed to hack into the company’s system.
  • muddy In late autumn this road was always muddy and wet.

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
manglerising
destroysteady
maimrising
mutilatesteady
dismembersteady
hackrising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters
cut1, mar1
4 letters
iron2, tear1, hack1, maul1, maim1, rend
5 letters
press1, spoil1, muddy2
6 letters
murder2, smooth1, injure2, impair2, deface2
7 letters
destroy2, wringer2, mangler
8 letters
mangrove2, mutilate3, calender3, lacerate3
9 letters
dismember3, disfigure3

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (iron2 = 2 syllables).