To pummel means to hit something or someone repeatedly with your fists. When boxers pummel a punching bag during training, their gloves strike it over and over in quick succession. The word suggests forceful, continuous hitting rather than a single punch.

You might see pummel used in sports writing: “The champion pummeled his opponent in the third round.” In weather reports, journalists might write that hail pummeled the roof, or that waves pummeled the coastline during a storm. These uses show how the word has expanded beyond literal fist-fighting to describe any repeated, forceful striking action.

When you hear someone say they got pummeled in a game, they usually mean they lost badly and felt overwhelmed by their opponent's performance. A chess player might say they got pummeled even though nobody threw any punches. The word captures that feeling of being hit again and again without a chance to recover.