1
as in to draw
to shape with a hammer
medieval artisans hammered brass into various bowls and trays, which they then embossed with elaborate designs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to hit
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
hammer a nail hammered the ball for a home run
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to pound
to strike repeatedly
tried hammering the door to wake them up the crops were hammered with hail
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
the critics have long been hammering the stage actress for resorting to the same mixed bag of mannerisms over and over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sledgehammer
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hammer
Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 23 June 2025
The worm is anywhere from 12 to 15 inches long and has a wide head resembling a hammer.
—Paris Goodman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 June 2025
Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 8 July 2025
Housebuilding hammered by tariff uncertainty The total cost of building a mid-range single-family home could rise by more than $4,000 as a result of Trump's tariffs, an NBC News analysis of building materials shows — an estimate that industry experts who reviewed the analysis called conservative.
—Jeremy Mikula, NBC news, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hammer
Verb
That’s right, the first step in unveiling a bottle of the 51 requires swinging—or rather, tapping—a custom hammer on the shell that incases the bottle.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 23 June 2025
The worm is anywhere from 12 to 15 inches long and has a wide head resembling a hammer.
—Paris Goodman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 June 2025
Noun
His fourth slider of the at-bat was up over the plate and Vaughn hammered it into the right field seats for a three-run home run.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 8 July 2025
Housebuilding hammered by tariff uncertainty The total cost of building a mid-range single-family home could rise by more than $4,000 as a result of Trump's tariffs, an NBC News analysis of building materials shows — an estimate that industry experts who reviewed the analysis called conservative.
—Jeremy Mikula, NBC news, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hammer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hammer
Verb
-
The crew will be drawn from Ann Arbor and the Detroit region.—
Julie Hinds,
Freep.com,
25 July 2025
-
Councilwoman Tammy Hawkins drew parallels to other high-profile cases, suggesting the victim, Latasha White, deserves the same level of respect and investigation as Crystal Rogers and Breonna Taylor.—
Marina Johnson,
The Courier-Journal,
25 July 2025
Verb
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The floods that hit the Hill Country nearly three weeks ago killed dozens of young girls at Camp Mystic, many of whose families live in the Houston region.—
Bayliss Wagner,
Austin American Statesman,
25 July 2025
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More: Bourbon, other U.S. spirits could soon be hit with retaliatory EU tariffs.—
Olivia Evans,
The Courier-Journal,
25 July 2025
Verb
-
That first flight on April 28, 2021, was deep within the COVID-19 pandemic that pounded the airline industry.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
-
Play was suspended a couple of times because of severe weather, the occasional pounding rain and possibly lightning.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
15 July 2025
Verb
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Whether this comes off as a joke or as an invitation for scolding (spoken or unspoken, loving or otherwise) depends entirely on the other Muslims in the room.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
13 July 2025
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But there was a time Emily Deschanel, who played the meticulous forensic anthropologist through 12 seasons of Bones, got scolded for being just that — and the memory still makes the star emotional.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
12 July 2025
Noun
-
And bringing down this sledgehammer at this moment was emphasized by all of the European allies who were at the meeting that Senator Graham and I attended in Europe.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 July 2025
-
The Supreme Court’s new test, with its implicit suggestion that coercion is found in exposure to materials that go against central tenets of parental religion, is more sledgehammer than scalpel.—
Stephen L. Carter,
Twin Cities,
2 July 2025
Verb
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Exploring and experimenting through storytelling that forges an identity for Colombia’s Caribbean region, Estuario Cine was established by Alberto de la Espriella and Antonio Camargo in 2022.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
14 July 2025
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But forging strong ties without in-person interaction remains a challenge.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Instead, Sue goes all Mama Bear and uses her powers to knock him into the teleporter and then Silver Surfer has a change of heart and knocks him back in when Galactus tries to get out.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
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In log rolling, two competitors face off on floating western red cedar logs, switching up treading speed and direction to try and knock their opponent off balance without touching each other.—
Maayan Silver,
NPR,
25 July 2025
Verb
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The Boston Celtics are still licking their wounds following the heartbreaking end to the 2024-25 NBA season.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
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And Lil Wayne agrees by licking my face, which is part of the job description for companion dogs.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hammer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammer. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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