battered

adjective

bat·​tered ˈba-tərd How to pronounce battered (audio)
1
: damaged or worn down by hard use
a battered old hat
a battered truck
2
: injured by repeated blows
the victim's battered body
a boxer's battered face
3
: subjected to repeated physical abuse
providing help for battered wives/children
… the store turned into an impromptu women's crisis center, where battered women and mothers trying to rescue their daughters from abusive dads gravitated.Donna Minkowitz

Examples of battered in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The years of stunts mostly took their toll in torn ligaments and battered joints. Penelope Green, New York Times, 11 May 2024 On a snowy day in late January, Zach Shrewsbury, a thirty-two-year-old Marine Corps veteran, picked me up in his battered Chrysler 300, near the West Virginia state capitol. Dan Kaufman, The New Yorker, 9 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for battered 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'battered.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of battered was in 1593

Dictionary Entries Near battered

Cite this Entry

“Battered.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/battered. Accessed 19 May. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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