hammerhead

noun

ham·​mer·​head ˈha-mər-ˌhed 

1

: the striking part of a hammer

2

: blockhead

3

: any of a family (Sphyrnidae) of active voracious medium-sized sharks that have the eyes at the ends of lateral extensions of the flattened head see shark illustration

Synonyms of hammerhead

• idiot
• moron
• stupid
• dummy

Examples of hammerhead in a Sentence

we despair of ever getting those hammerheads to buckle their seat belts without prodding

Recent Examples on the Web

Within the waters that surround Malibu Pier a hammerhead shark, which typically prefers warmer waters than those found in Southern California, was spotted making a few circles in the ocean. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

Johnnie Mercers Pier shared footage this week of an albino hammerhead shark in the waters off of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. — David Hookstead Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026

The Bahamas are home to about 40 shark species, including great hammerheads, oceanic whitetip, and bull sharks, according to American Surf Magazine. — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2026

The latest hammerhead spotted is one of several seen in recent weeks, with one reported off the Malibu Pier a week ago and another reported recently in Santa Barbara. — Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 24 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hammerhead

• abovesaid
• aforesaid
• arrowhead
• casinghead
• copperhead
• figurehead
• fountainhead
• gingerbread
• infrared
• leatherhead
• letterhead
• loggerhead

Kids Definition

hammerhead

noun

ham·​mer·​head ˈham-ər-ˌhed 

: any of various active sharks of medium size that have the eyes at the ends of sideward extensions of the flattened head