tooth and nail

adverb

: with every available means : all out
fight tooth and nail

Examples of tooth and nail in a Sentence

I'll fight tooth and nail to win the finals.
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.
While business owners like me fight tooth and nail to keep our businesses afloat, Visa and Mastercard enjoy profit margins as high as 50%. Alvin Orloff, Mercury News, 27 May 2025 Fast forward to Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals, which was tied 1-1, and a Steph Curry-less Golden State team was fighting tooth and nail to claim a contest to re-claim the series lead and buy time for Curry to get healthy. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 17 May 2025 But with a twist so big — Sarah being the killer of her adulterous husband Adam’s mistress, Kelly Summers, and the one who set him up for the murder while simultaneously defending him tooth and nail in court — where was Rose to go after that? Jennifer Maas, Variety, 29 Apr. 2025 Decrepit office buildings and flophouse hotels have been remade into pricey lofts and townhouses, the coolest address being where prizefighters Depp and Heard went at it tooth and nail, an art deco masterpiece called the Eastern Guardian Building, with its eerie clock tower and greenish glow. David Weiss, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for tooth and nail

Word History

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tooth and nail was in 1550

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tooth and nail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tooth%20and%20nail. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

tooth and nail

adverb
: as hard as one can
fighting tooth and nail
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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