clawhammer

1 of 2

adjective

claw·​ham·​mer ˈklȯ-ˌha-mər 

: 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

: tailcoat

Examples of clawhammer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

That might mean a good old-fashioned claw hammer and a smaller ball-peen hammer. — Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026

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

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

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1964, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1769, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for clawhammer

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