1
as in to hit
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
the boxer nailed his opponent with a devastating left hook
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to decide
to make final, definite, or beyond dispute
this latest infidelity nails it—I'm filing for divorce
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to expose
to reveal the true nature of
an investigative report that nailed the teenage novelist as someone who had plagiarized the works of others
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to arrest
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
the very first time I tried to steal anything, I got nailed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to grab
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
the running back saw the pass coming in and nailed it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nail
There’s tension to nail that because Hugh and Diana can be hit during the process.
—
Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2026
Only Teyana Taylor could rock a fur coat in the middle of a Los Angeles heat wave and nail it.
—Brandi Fowler, InStyle, 16 Mar. 2026
From bold red sneakers from Madewell to vibrant blue matching sets at Amazon, these are the most travel-friendly ways to nail your spring style.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2026
He’s nailed to start, has a fixture this week, has an attacking threat and can pick up defensive contribution points too.
—Abdul Rehman, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nail
Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2026
Only Teyana Taylor could rock a fur coat in the middle of a Los Angeles heat wave and nail it.
—Brandi Fowler, InStyle, 16 Mar. 2026
From bold red sneakers from Madewell to vibrant blue matching sets at Amazon, these are the most travel-friendly ways to nail your spring style.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2026
He’s nailed to start, has a fixture this week, has an attacking threat and can pick up defensive contribution points too.
—Abdul Rehman, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nail
Verb
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The ball then hit the football goal post crossbar and bounded down to Luis Duenas who headed it from point-blank range toward the net.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Mar. 2026
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The organization doesn’t expect Owens to hit and pitch in the same game this year, but intends to build him toward that goal eventually.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Jenkins is on a road trip back to Yuba City and decided to grab some food.—
Carmela Karcher,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
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The club’s decision makers will meet this weekend to decide on the club’s final few roster spots, but there are still a few days left for players to make a last impression.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The shortage exposed a structural weakness.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
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In theory, proprietors could connect their personal accounts to TVs to access anything available online, but doing so would violate the terms of most services—and potentially expose them to five-figure fines.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The owners who were arrested were charged with felonies; however, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg later dismissed the case due to conflicts of interest.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
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Laura, a piano student from Berlin, played with arresting ambivalence by Paula Beer, narrowly survives a car wreck that kills her boyfriend.—
Holden Seidlitz,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For an affordable meal, grab a cheap lunch at a konoba — a Croatian tavern — tucked away from the main tourist drag.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Mar. 2026
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Kuechly was called for two defensive fouls as NFL players had trouble grabbing flags.—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After a review, it was decided that Raddysh was knocked to the ice and into the crease, prohibiting Vasilevskiy from a possible save.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
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The latest flare-up in the Iran conflict has hammered export‑reliant markets in South Korea and Japan, knocking benchmark indexes sharply lower on fears that surging energy costs and a prolonged hit to risk appetite could undercut corporate earnings and growth across Asia’s trade‑driven economies.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Future meetings are yet to be determined.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
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Here is a closer look at what's at stake for Netanyahu, and how the wars with Iran and Hezbollah could help determine his fate.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The find joins a group of 69 lead sling bullets uncovered at Hippos in 26 years.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Mar. 2026
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Following his arrest, local reports uncovered Bradford’s lengthy criminal history, including multiple arrests on assault and larceny charges.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nail. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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