How to Say "to trounce" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to trounce” is “aplastar” — use 'aplastar' when you want to describe a victory by a very large margin, often in a competitive context like sports or business, without necessarily emphasizing the severity of the defeat.
Use 'aplastar' when you want to describe a victory by a very large margin, often in a competitive context like sports or business, without necessarily emphasizing the severity of the defeat.
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Choose 'masacrar' when the victory is so overwhelming that it feels like a complete demolition, often used in sports to describe a score with a huge difference.
Learn more →ah-plahs-taraplasˈtaɾ
Examples
Nuestro equipo aplastó al rival en la final.
Our team crushed the rival in the final.
La evidencia aplastó los argumentos de la defensa.
The evidence crushed the defense's arguments.
El candidato aplastó a sus oponentes en las elecciones.
The candidate trounced his opponents in the elections.
Using the personal 'a'
When you use 'aplastar' to mean defeating a person or a specific team, remember to put 'al' (a + el) or 'a' before their name. Example: 'Aplastamos a los Leones'.
mah-sah-krarmasaˈkɾaɾ
Examples
Nuestro equipo de fútbol los masacró 5-0.
Our soccer team crushed them 5-0.
En el videojuego, mi hermano siempre me masacra.
In the video game, my brother always annihilates me.
La prensa masacró al político después de su discurso.
The press tore the politician apart after his speech.
Figurative Direct Objects
Even in sports, you still use the 'personal a' for the opponent. 'Masacramos a su equipo' (We crushed their team).
Aplastar vs. Masacrar
Learners often confuse 'aplastar' and 'masacrar' because both mean 'to crush'. Remember that 'masacrar' is stronger and often implies a more brutal or one-sided defeat, especially in scores. Use 'aplastar' for general large-margin wins.
Related Translations
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