# butchered

/ˈbʊtʃɝd/ (US) · /bˈʊtʃəd/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/butchered
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

badly damaged or ruined because of a lack of skill. You use this when someone does a job very poorly, like singing a song badly or making many mistakes in a speech.

For teachers: severely damaged, ruined, or executed with a gross lack of skill. Often used to describe the poor performance of a creative work or the mishandling of a task.

## Examples

- The singer completely butchered the national anthem.
- The local theater group butchered the classic play by forgetting half their lines and using terrible accents.
- While the original manuscript was a masterpiece of subtle prose, the translated version was so poorly edited that the author's intent felt completely butchered.

## Usage notes

- Typically used predicatively after linking verbs like 'feel' or 'look', or as a participial adjective before a noun.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.