WordLens

mangle

1 of 2verb
/ˈmæŋɡəl/
Forms:mangles,mangling,mangled,mangled
1

to severely damage or destroy something

transitive
  • The machine malfunctioned and began to mangle the fabric.
  • The car accident had the potential to mangle the metal structure.
  • The explosion threatened to mangle anything within its blast radius.
  • The lack of proper precautions mangled the fabric in the manufacturing process.
Synonyms:
2

to badly distort, damage, or ruin something, making it difficult to recognize or appreciate

transitive
  • The editor mangled the author's story by cutting out key parts.
  • She mangled the song during her performance by singing off-key.
  • The translator mangled the original text, changing its meaning entirely.
  • He mangled the joke so badly that no one laughed.
  • The amateur pianist mangled the classic piece, skipping entire sections.
Synonyms:
3

to press or flatten something using a tool as part of a process to remove water

transitive
  • She carefully mangled the wet sheets to dry them faster.
  • The old machine was used to mangle the laundry before hanging it out to dry.
  • The cloth was mangled between the rollers to remove excess water.
  • He watched as the laundress mangled the linens to make them smooth and dry.
  • The workers mangled the fabric to prepare it for dyeing.
4

to harm severely by cutting, tearing, or crushing, causing deep and disfiguring wounds

transitive
  • The bear attack mangled the hiker's arm, requiring emergency surgery.
  • His leg was mangled in the car accident, leaving permanent scars.
  • The lion mangled the prey before dragging it away to its den.
  • He fell onto the broken glass, which mangled his palms and fingers.
  • The factory worker’s hand was mangled by the malfunctioning machine.
Synonyms: