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Glite Dictionary
⚾ A power hitter 🥊 A hard puncher
slugger

slugger

5 5.8
A boxer who uses very hard punches to try to knock opponents out
  • noun
  • /ˈslʌɡər/
translation icon : pegador
  • The final fight of the prelims on FX was a middleweight contest between sluggers Patrick Cote and Alessio Sakara, and it went nearly exactly as expected.
  • Slugger bat

And when you described your bare knuckle fighting style, Packer, would you say you're a boxer or a slugger?

Examples

  • Huck would be an awful fight because he's just a crude slugger without a lot of skills.

    Blog text (4)

  • In this corner... the sensational heavyweight slugger... from Fort Benning, Georgia... who is punching a path to the top of the division.

    Cinderella Man (2005)

  • Let's see what you got, slugger.

    Here on Earth (2000)

  • I used to be a slugger in the Minors, little fella.

    Blade: The Iron Cross (2020)

  • JIM: If anyone knows how to take on a slugger like Drago, it would be Rocky.

    Creed II (2018)

  • Schmeling is little more than a punching bag for the young slugger.

    Joe and Max (2002)

  • Garcia is a pure slugger; you gotta give him his props.

    Blog text (34)

  • The Italian slugger clocked Cote with a big elbow early in the first round, dropping him to the canvas where he continued to rain blows down upon him.

    Blog text (23)

  • Both fighters are primarily come-forward sluggers, though Alvarado has shown glimpses of boxing technique that Rios seems to lack.

    Blog text (28)

  • The boxer trained hard to improve his speed, but he remained a powerful slugger known for his hard punches.

Synonyms

hitter
vsslugger
62 2.2

A person who strikes a ball in sports like volleyball or cricket

is focused on very powerful punches rather than mere hitting
brawler
vsslugger
8 6.2

A person who fights roughly in places like bars

means a boxer who hits very hard, not simply a street fighter
bruiser
vsslugger
  • Informal
7 7.2

A large strong man who looks tough and ready to fight

refers to heavy punching skill rather than body size or bulk
puncher
vsslugger
6 4.3

A person who hits people with their fist, often in boxing

focuses specifically on very hard punching rather than general punching ability
pugilist
vsslugger
4 8.5

A person who fights with their fists, often as a professional boxer

refers to a boxer prized for raw punching power rather than technique
striker
vsslugger
2 3.3

A person who hits something, for example in sport or work

applies specifically to a boxer skilled in hard punching over finesse
walloper
vsslugger
  • Informal
1 9.7

A person who hits with great force

describes a boxer known for hard steady punches not general hitting
mauler
vsslugger
1 7.9

A fighter who hits opponents very hard, often a boxer

is a boxing figure who uses heavy punches rather than prolonged battering
real bruiser
vsslugger
  • Informal
1 7.5

A person who is very strong and tough, like a boxer or a team defender

is a boxer noted for heavy punching, not just general toughness
slogger
vsslugger
  • Jargon
9.2

A boxer who hits with very strong, heavy punches

is a boxer who emphasizes hard punching over speed or skill

How Hard

slugger
5 5.8
puncher
6 4.3
boxer
106 1.0

Surface Forms

slugger singular
sluggers plural

Morphology

slugger = slug (transparent) = slug + er

Standard agentive derivation from 'slug' (to hit) + '-er', denoting a person who delivers heavy punches.

Etymology

Slugger comes from the word slug meaning 'to hit hard' plus -er for a person, so it names someone who gives heavy hits. In boxing, a slugger is a fighter who relies on very hard punches rather than speed, which matches the idea of someone who 'slugs' an opponent.