sledgehammer

noun sledge·ham·mer \ ˈslej-ˌha-mər \

Updated on: 13 Apr 2018

Definition of sledgehammer

: a large heavy hammer that is wielded with both hands; also : something that resembles a sledgehammer in action

See sledgehammer defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of sledgehammer from the Web

The attack in 2015 has been followed by other incidents, including one this past February, when a man is accused of using a sledgehammer to damage a dozen police cars.

— CBS News, "Perimeter fencing boosts security at Dallas Police Department substations," 10 Apr. 2018
Rescuers working through the night with sledgehammers and chainsaws pulled alive 10 people from the debris of the building that came crashing down in Indore, a city in Madhya Pradesh state, on Saturday night, said police officer Sanju Kamle.

— Fox News, "India hotel collapse kills 10 people; 10 others pulled from rubble alive," 1 Apr. 2018
Federal authorities began investigating the ring in late 2016 and determined that several of the burglaries shared similar characteristics — such as the use of pry bars and sledgehammers.

— michael williams, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Authorities arrest 4, seek 1 in Central Florida gun-theft ring," 30 Mar. 2018
Irwin handed me a sledgehammer and showed me how to swing it safely before stepping back.

— bethany ao, Philly.com, "Want to smash stuff up for fun? You can at Thunderbird Salvage," 28 Mar. 2018
Melee combat is as weighty and brutal as ever, with all manner of sledgehammers and knives and scythes to take down your opponents.

— hayden dingman, PCWorld, "Dying Light: Bad Blood is more 'battle' than 'battle royale,' but it’s still a ton of fun," 27 Mar. 2018
Dewalt is trying to solve this problem by introducing its first-ever line of sledgehammers and axes, all featuring what the tool company calls its ExoCore carbon fiber composite handles.

— timothy dahl, Popular Mechanics, "Dewalt Debuts Its First Sledgehammers and Axes With Carbon Fiber Handles," 21 Mar. 2018
Someone used a sledgehammer to smash a hole in a cement block wall to enter the business.

— bob sandrick, cleveland.com, "Brothers beat up man outside bar after name-calling exchange; drunk man eats Slim Jims in Circle K: Brook Park Police Blotter," 9 Feb. 2018
The 8-pound version is a great all-around sledgehammer that every DIYer could use, while the 4-pound hammer is handy for both home and auto work.

— timothy dahl, Popular Mechanics, "Dewalt Debuts Its First Sledgehammers and Axes With Carbon Fiber Handles," 21 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sledgehammer.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.