Repeatedly hitting someone or something with a heavy club or stick, or using relentless force to make someone accept something.
Present participle of 'bludgeon.' The figurative sense of 'forcing through relentless pressure' became common in the 19th century.
Politicians are often accused of 'bludgeoning' through unpopular laws—it's a vivid metaphor because it captures how force is used repeatedly and without finesse, like actually swinging a heavy club!
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