clawhammer

1 of 2

adjective

claw·​ham·​mer ˈklȯ-ˌha-mər How to pronounce clawhammer (audio)
: of, relating to, or being a style of banjo playing using the thumb and one or more fingers picking or strumming in a downward direction

claw hammer

2 of 2

noun

1
: a hammer with one end of the head forked for pulling out nails
2

Examples of clawhammer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Johnson repeatedly hit Whitaker with a claw hammer before setting her and her Tulsa home on fire. Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 14 May 2026 According to the statement, trial evidence showed that Johnson repeatedly beat Whitaker with a claw hammer inside her home, then poured gasoline on her and throughout the house before setting it on fire. Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026 The kit includes a wrench, pliers, claw hammer, ratchet screwdriver, utility knife, tape measure, level, and Allen key set. Terri Williams, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2026 Months later, police arrested Hoffman, a store clerk, and he was found guilty of beating the young father-to-be with a claw hammer and shooting him. Emily Blackwood, People.com, 7 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for clawhammer

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1964, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1769, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of clawhammer was circa 1769

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Cite this Entry

“Clawhammer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clawhammer. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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