nail down
phrasal verb
nailed down; nailing down; nails down
1
: to make (something, such as a victory) certain to happen
They need to score another touchdown to nail down the victory.
2
: to find out or identify (something) exactly
Her doctors haven't yet been able to nail down a diagnosis.
They're trying to nail down the cause of our network problems.
3
: to make (something) definite or final
nail down a decision
Examples of nail down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
More research is needed to nail down exactly how this chemical reaction between the bacteria and IgA plays out in humans.
—
Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 27 Mar. 2024
If the agreement is approved, over the next nine months staff and the developer will nail down a more detailed development agreement that will lay out the city and Culdesac’s obligations to build out Site 17.
—Maritza Dominguez, The Arizona Republic, 25 Mar. 2024
Voids could even help to nail down the nature of —elementary particles, once thought to be massless, that pervade the universe while barely interacting with ordinary matter.
—Michael D. Lemonick, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2024
This means finding ways to stand out from the competition, nailing down a distinct point of view and committing to learning and growing as a leader and as a business.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024
Critics argued the anecdotes weren't fully nailed down.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 6 Mar. 2024
When the Miami Beach City Commission voted Wednesday for the closure of certain parking garages and lots during two weekends in March, city administrators scrambled to try to interpret the 11th-hour request and nail down the plan with spring break fast approaching.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2024
Patrick Cantlay has spent about as much time on the phone as the golf course this week as a PGA Tour board member trying to nail down a deal for a $3 billion investment.
—Doug Ferguson, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2024
The pair first confirmed that the song was on its way earlier this week before nailing down its official release date Wednesday (Feb. 28).
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 1 Mar. 2024
Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 27 Mar. 2024
If the agreement is approved, over the next nine months staff and the developer will nail down a more detailed development agreement that will lay out the city and Culdesac’s obligations to build out Site 17.
—Maritza Dominguez, The Arizona Republic, 25 Mar. 2024
Voids could even help to nail down the nature of —elementary particles, once thought to be massless, that pervade the universe while barely interacting with ordinary matter.
—Michael D. Lemonick, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2024
This means finding ways to stand out from the competition, nailing down a distinct point of view and committing to learning and growing as a leader and as a business.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024
Critics argued the anecdotes weren't fully nailed down.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 6 Mar. 2024
When the Miami Beach City Commission voted Wednesday for the closure of certain parking garages and lots during two weekends in March, city administrators scrambled to try to interpret the 11th-hour request and nail down the plan with spring break fast approaching.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2024
Patrick Cantlay has spent about as much time on the phone as the golf course this week as a PGA Tour board member trying to nail down a deal for a $3 billion investment.
—Doug Ferguson, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2024
The pair first confirmed that the song was on its way earlier this week before nailing down its official release date Wednesday (Feb. 28).
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 1 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nail down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near nail down
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“Nail down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nail%20down. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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