What does skulled mean?
Skulled is the past tense and past participle of the informal verb “skull.” Its principal meaning is to kill someone by striking their head or head with a blunt object, as in “The robber skulled the security guard.” In less extreme contexts, it can simply mean to deliver a forceful blow to the head, implying a particularly painful impact rather than necessarily a fatal injury. The word is graphic, dramatic, and chiefly associated with informal North American English, though related uses occur in other English-speaking communities. It often appears in reports of violence, sports incidents, accidents, and hyperbolic descriptions of dangerous collisions. Because it can imply death, writers should avoid using it casually to describe an ordinary bump or minor collision. In formal prose, “struck,” “killed,” or a more precise description of the incident will usually be clearer and more appropriate.
To kill someone by striking the head or head with a blunt object.
"The intruder was skulled when he charged the armed guard."
Informal, graphic, and especially common in North American English.
To strike someone forcefully on the head without necessarily causing death.
"The branch skulled him as he ducked too late."
The impact is portrayed as severe; the sense is often hyperbolic.
A sudden, violent blow to the head can leave someone “skulled”—a graphic piece of informal English whose final syllable echoes the impact.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does skulled come from?
The word comes from “skull,” whose deeper history is uncertain but is generally connected with Old Norse and ultimately Latin. Latin calvaria denoted the skull and came from a word related to calvus, meaning “bald” or “skinless.” Modern English developed several meanings for “skull,” including the anatomical bone, the head, and the informal verb meaning to strike or kill with a blow to the head.
Related word forms
How skulled is actually used
This is informal and often violent or hyperbolic. The sense meaning to kill is especially associated with North American speech, sports commentary, and crime reporting; it would be unsuitable in formal contexts.
Easily confused with skulled
Skulled means struck or killed with a blow to the head, whereas scalded means injured by contact with an extremely hot liquid or steam.