1
a
: a hand tool consisting of a solid head set crosswise on a handle and used for pounding
b
: a power tool that often substitutes a metal block or a drill for the hammerhead
2
: something that resembles a hammer in form or action: such as
a
: a lever with a striking head for ringing a bell or striking a gong
b(1)
: an arm that strikes the cap in a percussion lock to ignite the propelling charge
(2)
: a part of the action of a modern gun that strikes the primer of the cartridge in firing or that strikes the firing pin to ignite the cartridge
c
: malleus
d
: gavel
e(1)
: a padded mallet in a piano action for striking a string
(2)
: a hand mallet for playing on various percussion instruments (such as a xylophone)
3
: a metal sphere thrown for distance in the hammer throw
hammered; hammering
ˈha-mər-iŋ 
ˈham-riŋ
1
: to strike blows especially repeatedly with or as if with a hammer : pound
2
: to make repeated efforts
especially
: to reiterate an opinion or attitude
the lectures all hammered away at the same points
1
a
: to beat, drive, or shape with repeated blows of a hammer
b
: to fasten or build with a hammer
2
: to strike or drive with a force suggesting a hammer blow or repeated blows
hammered the ball over the fence
tried to hammer me into submission
3
: to criticize severely
Synonyms
Examples of hammer in a Sentence
Verb
He hammered the dent out of the fender.
The carpenters were hammering all afternoon.
The workers are hammering the studs to the frame.
The batter hammered the ball over the fence.
Someone tried to hammer him over the head with a club.
Many towns were hammered by the hurricane.
The typist's fingers were hammering the keys.
He was hammering at the door.
The rain hammered down on the roof.
The home team was hammered 9–0.
Recent Examples on the Web
Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024
But most others, including those with bunions, hammer toes, or plantar fasciitis can usually benefit.
—Alisha McDarris, Popular Science, 28 Mar. 2024
Customers can choose from a range of actions rather than using a single hammer for every problem.
—Justin Warren, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
At the scene on Strathern Street, just west of De Soto Avenue, police found a hammer in Murillo’s pocket and the pull bar beside his body.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
He was taken to the hospital last week after being beaten with a hammer outside his home in Lithuania, a reminder of the dangers faced by the opposition, even in exile.
—Nanna Heitmann, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2024
On Wednesday, Leonid Volkov, the longtime chief of staff of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, blamed Putin and his supporters for an unknown assailant’s attack on him with a hammer and tear gas near his home in Lithuania on Tuesday.
—Natalia Abbakumova, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024
Alexei Navalny's aide was attacked with a hammer and tear gas.
—USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2024
Caraballo was beaten with a hammer and suffocated in the basement of his home in Charlotte, Mich.
—Christine Pelisek, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024
Scott Horsley, NPR, 5 Apr. 2024
The group’s many videos have now been viewed tens of millions of times, all of them subtly hammering home the message that the ocean is awash in trash.
—Cara Buckley, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2024
During the central crisis of Beethoven’s Funeral March, hammering octaves in the bass register, again with the pedal held down, unleash a dissonant boom that is in some ways more unnerving than the corresponding passage in orchestral form.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
The president will hammer that message home in his appearance Wednesday in Maricopa County, an important swing county that flipped to Biden from former president Donald Trump in the last election.
—Jeanne Whalen, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, Trump continues to hammer Biden over high inflation and immigration as well as a variety of foreign policy issues.
—Libby Cathey, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2024
This hammered the resale value of used Model 3 sedans and Model Y crossovers just after Hertz had added tens of thousands of those vehicles to its fleet.
—Erik Schatzker, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2024
So much so that it is estimated to hammer down for between $950,000 to $1.25 million at the auction.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2024
Oh, and Ryan Mountcastle will continue to inexplicably hammer the Jays, and no one else.
—Daniel Kohn, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
Noun
Each of the cake's three tiers depict a different superhero: Captain America, Iron Man and Spider-Man, with the Hulk's bright green hand topping things off and Thor's hammer resting alongside.
—Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024
But most others, including those with bunions, hammer toes, or plantar fasciitis can usually benefit.
—Alisha McDarris, Popular Science, 28 Mar. 2024
Customers can choose from a range of actions rather than using a single hammer for every problem.
—Justin Warren, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
At the scene on Strathern Street, just west of De Soto Avenue, police found a hammer in Murillo’s pocket and the pull bar beside his body.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
He was taken to the hospital last week after being beaten with a hammer outside his home in Lithuania, a reminder of the dangers faced by the opposition, even in exile.
—Nanna Heitmann, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2024
On Wednesday, Leonid Volkov, the longtime chief of staff of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, blamed Putin and his supporters for an unknown assailant’s attack on him with a hammer and tear gas near his home in Lithuania on Tuesday.
—Natalia Abbakumova, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024
Alexei Navalny's aide was attacked with a hammer and tear gas.
—USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2024
Caraballo was beaten with a hammer and suffocated in the basement of his home in Charlotte, Mich.
—Christine Pelisek, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024
Verb
Construction companies helped to hammer together another strong month for the U.S. job market.
—Scott Horsley, NPR, 5 Apr. 2024
The group’s many videos have now been viewed tens of millions of times, all of them subtly hammering home the message that the ocean is awash in trash.
—Cara Buckley, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2024
During the central crisis of Beethoven’s Funeral March, hammering octaves in the bass register, again with the pedal held down, unleash a dissonant boom that is in some ways more unnerving than the corresponding passage in orchestral form.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
The president will hammer that message home in his appearance Wednesday in Maricopa County, an important swing county that flipped to Biden from former president Donald Trump in the last election.
—Jeanne Whalen, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, Trump continues to hammer Biden over high inflation and immigration as well as a variety of foreign policy issues.
—Libby Cathey, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2024
This hammered the resale value of used Model 3 sedans and Model Y crossovers just after Hertz had added tens of thousands of those vehicles to its fleet.
—Erik Schatzker, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2024
So much so that it is estimated to hammer down for between $950,000 to $1.25 million at the auction.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2024
Oh, and Ryan Mountcastle will continue to inexplicably hammer the Jays, and no one else.
—Daniel Kohn, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hammer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Hammer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hammer. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hammer
1 of 2 noun
ham·mer
ˈham-ər
1
a
: a hand tool that consists of a solid head set crosswise on a handle and is used for pounding (as in driving nails)
b
: a power tool for pounding
2
: something that resembles a hammer in shape or action (as the part of a gun whose striking action causes explosion of the charge)
3
: malleus
4
: a heavy metal ball with a flexible handle that is thrown for distance in a track-and-field contest
hammer
2 of 2 verb
hammered; hammering
ˈham-(ə-)riŋ
1
: to strike blows with or as if with a hammer : pound
2
a
: to make repeated efforts
hammer away at one's lessons
b
: to emphasize (as an opinion) by repetition
hammers his point home
3
: to fasten, build, drive, or shape with a hammer
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