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paliza

pah-LEE-sahpaˈlisa

“paliza” means “beating” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

beating, thrashing

Also: hiding
NounfB1informal
A cartoon character with a large bandage wrapped around its head and a blue bruise on its cheek, depicting injury following a beating.

📝 In Action

El matón le dio una paliza y le robó el dinero.

B1

The bully gave him a beating and stole his money.

La policía detuvo a los responsables de la paliza.

B2

The police arrested those responsible for the thrashing.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • golpiza (beating)
  • tunda (a heavy beating)

Common Collocations

  • dar una paliza – to give a beating
  • recibir una paliza – to receive a beating

crushing defeat, rout

Also: hammering
NounfB2informal
One runner triumphantly crosses a finish line with arms raised in victory, while a second runner sits far behind on the track, looking utterly defeated, illustrating a crushing defeat.

📝 In Action

El equipo de fútbol sufrió una paliza de 6-0 en la final.

B2

The soccer team suffered a crushing defeat of 6-0 in the final.

Le dimos una paliza jugando a las cartas anoche.

C1

We gave him a hammering playing cards last night.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • derrota (defeat)
  • vapuleo (bashing/severe criticism)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • propinar una paliza – to inflict a crushing defeat
  • ser una paliza – to be a massive effort (figurative extension)

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: paliza

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'paliza' in its figurative sense?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes from 'palo' (meaning 'stick' or 'club') combined with the suffix '-iza,' which often creates nouns referring to an action or its result. It literally means 'an action involving sticks or blows,' leading to the modern meanings of a severe beating or a crushing defeat.

First recorded: Likely medieval Spanish, derived from common usage of 'palo'.

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Frequently Asked Questions

¿Es 'paliza' una palabra vulgar o malsonante?

No es vulgar, pero es una palabra fuerte. Se usa en contextos informales para describir algo violento o una derrota muy humillante. Es importante usarla solo cuando la situación es realmente grave o la derrota es total.

If I want to say 'We beat them' in a game, should I use 'paliza'?

Yes, absolutely! The best phrase is 'Les dimos una paliza.' This clearly communicates that you didn't just win, you dominated them completely.