jackhammer

noun

jack·​ham·​mer ˈjak-ˌha-mər 

1

: a pneumatically operated percussive rock-drilling tool usually held in the hands

2

: a device in which a tool (such as a chisel for breaking up pavements) is driven percussively by compressed air

jackhammer verb

Examples of jackhammer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Photos captured by the Associated Press on Wednesday show construction workers using a jackhammer on the helipad, which no longer carries the dark gray trim of a presidential seal that was visible last week. — Seung Min Kim, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026

Photos captured by The Associated Press on Wednesday show construction workers using a jackhammer on the helipad, which no longer carries the dark gray trim of a presidential seal that was visible last week. — ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026

They were kept awake at night by the sounds of trucks and jackhammers. — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 13 July 2026

Construction worker Julio Meléndez tried to bring a jackhammer into a disaster zone to help break up debris and look for survivors. — Fatima Al-Kassab, NPR, 1 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for jackhammer

• programmer
• sledgehammer
• tetramer
• amor
• clamor
• clamour
• glamor
• glamour
• grammar
• hammer
• jammer
• rammer

Kids Definition

jackhammer

noun

jack·​ham·​mer ˈjak-ˌham-ər 

: a tool driven by compressed air that is used for drilling or breaking up hard substances (as rock or pavement) by a repeated pounding action