hammer out

verb

hammered out; hammering out; hammers out

transitive verb

: to produce or bring about as if by repeated blows
hammered out an agreement

Examples of hammer out in a Sentence

the city council hammered out new commercial development regulations with input from residents, business owners, and environmental activists
Recent Examples on the Web Longshoremen are back to work after hammering out a tentative deal that includes a fat raise, but one key issue remains unresolved: automation. Emily Peck, Axios, 8 Oct. 2024 Before the situation becomes truly dire, many in the New York restaurant community are hoping that the dockworkers are able to hammer out a settlement sooner rather than later. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2024 The dispute became public, bringing both sides to the table to hammer out an agreement that allowed Ravinia Brewing to use the name, with certain limitations. Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2024 The government and the chipmaker could hammer out a deal before the election — but these things take time, plus there’s a potential takeover to navigate. Morgan Haefner, Quartz, 30 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hammer out 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hammer out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1632, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hammer out was circa 1632

Dictionary Entries Near hammer out

Cite this Entry

“Hammer out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hammer%20out. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

hammer out

verb
: to produce or bring about by persistent effort
hammered out an agreement

More from Merriam-Webster on hammer out

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!