jackhammer
noun
jack·ham·mer
ˈjak-ˌha-mər 
1
: a pneumatically operated percussive rock-drilling tool usually held in the hands
2
: a device in which a tool (such as a chisel for breaking up pavements) is driven percussively by compressed air
jackhammer
verb
Examples of jackhammer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The country's National Disaster Mitigation Agency told AP that rescue teams were using heavy excavators equipped with jackhammers and circular saws, as well as their bare hands on occasion, to find the 14 students still missing.
—
Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
But on a recent warm September morning, the rhythmic beat of jackhammers crushing concrete with steel and the hissing flow of rush hour traffic greeted a group of amateur ornithologists.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 22 Sep. 2025
While Schumer and Jeffries still believe decorum will win the day, the Trump administration has taken a jackhammer to our Constitution.
—Christopher Bouzy, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Compared to conventional demo techniques – jackhammers or blasting with det cord, PETN, TNT and the like – the Catonator can reportedly cut through rock, concrete, and even steel up to 10 times faster while being significantly quieter, with less mess and less disruption.
—New Atlas, 18 June 2025
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Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
But on a recent warm September morning, the rhythmic beat of jackhammers crushing concrete with steel and the hissing flow of rush hour traffic greeted a group of amateur ornithologists.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 22 Sep. 2025
While Schumer and Jeffries still believe decorum will win the day, the Trump administration has taken a jackhammer to our Constitution.
—Christopher Bouzy, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Compared to conventional demo techniques – jackhammers or blasting with det cord, PETN, TNT and the like – the Catonator can reportedly cut through rock, concrete, and even steel up to 10 times faster while being significantly quieter, with less mess and less disruption.
—New Atlas, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for jackhammer
Cite this Entry
“Jackhammer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jackhammer. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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jackhammer
noun
jack·ham·mer
ˈjak-ˌham-ər
: a tool driven by compressed air that is used for drilling or breaking up hard substances (as rock or pavement) by a repeated pounding action
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