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
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.
The two countries struck a trade deal in late July, which calls for 15% tariffs on goods from South Korea, but the finer details are still being hammered out in ongoing talks. Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025 During a particularly difficult budget year, several lawmakers went to South Lake Tahoe casinos while top leaders hammered out the final details. Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2025 Talks had been ongoing for the past eight months, both sides had incurred about six-figures on legal bills hammering out the details, a major concert had been planned and a 1,200-word embargoed deal announcement was ready to go. Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025 Isaac can be a very subtle actor, but all subtlety has been hammered out of his performance, as Del Toro’s close-ups distort his already distinctive features. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hammer out

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1632, in the meaning defined above

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

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Cite this Entry

“Hammer out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hammer%20out. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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
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