hammerhead
noun
ham·mer·head
ˈha-mər-ˌhed 
1
: the striking part of a hammer
2
3
: any of a family (Sphyrnidae) of active voracious medium-sized sharks that have the eyes at the ends of lateral extensions of the flattened head see shark illustration
Examples of hammerhead in a Sentence
we despair of ever getting those hammerheads to buckle their seat belts without prodding
Recent Examples on the Web
Keep an eye out for sea turtles, hammerhead sharks, and manta rays.
—
Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025
Elphinstone Reef consistently ranks among the world’s best dive sites thanks to its abundance of healthy soft corals and frequent shark sightings, including the chance to see everything from thresher sharks to scalloped hammerheads.
—Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 11 Sep. 2025
We are not meant to be hammerheads in a world of nails.
—Big Think, 10 Sep. 2025
Three of the species found in the mislabeled samples—scalloped hammerhead, great hammerhead, and dusky smooth-hound shark—are also known to contain high levels of mercury, which can cause damage to the brain and central nervous system.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 10 Sep. 2025
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Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025
Elphinstone Reef consistently ranks among the world’s best dive sites thanks to its abundance of healthy soft corals and frequent shark sightings, including the chance to see everything from thresher sharks to scalloped hammerheads.
—Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 11 Sep. 2025
We are not meant to be hammerheads in a world of nails.
—Big Think, 10 Sep. 2025
Three of the species found in the mislabeled samples—scalloped hammerhead, great hammerhead, and dusky smooth-hound shark—are also known to contain high levels of mercury, which can cause damage to the brain and central nervous system.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hammerhead
Cite this Entry
“Hammerhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hammerhead. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hammerhead
noun
ham·mer·head
ˈham-ər-ˌhed
: any of various active sharks of medium size that have the eyes at the ends of sideward extensions of the flattened head
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