HAMMER AND TONGS Synonyms: 134 Similar and Opposite Words

hammer-and-tongs 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of hammer-and-tongs

as in violent

marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity the scuffle escalated into a hammer-and-tongs fight

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hammer and tongs

2 of 2

adverb

as in sharply

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of hammer-and-tongs

Adverb

In 1971, authors Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal went at it hammer and tongs live on late-night TV in a showdown that allegedly spilled over into violence. — Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 16 July 2024 The action on Nevarro is crisp and well-presented, highlighted by the Armorer taking out the sniper’s nest singlehandedly with only her hammer and tongs as weapons. — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2023 The two conservative groups that brought the case were targeted by Harris in 2012-13, right around the time the IRS was going hammer and tongs after Tea Party groups. — Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 1 July 2021 Two teams who seem destined to slug it out in the lower reaches of the table this season going hammer and tongs at each other never makes for a good watch. — SI.com, 18 Sep. 2019 With two moderate Pyrenean climbs, Thursday’s Stage 12 from Toulouse, where cassoulet and rugby are both big, wasn’t tough enough for Thomas and his rivals to go at each other hammer and tongs. — Washington Post, 18 July 2019 The way to stand out from the others is to go hammer and tongs for the opponents’ jugulars, or to try to sound more extreme than the others. — Jim Jones, idahostatesman, 18 May 2018

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hammer-and-tongs

Adjective

Michael was arrested two days later, per Denver TV station KUSA, and charged with first-degree murder, use of a weapon in a violent crime, theft of $100 to $500, and abuse of a corpse.

— Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
Crime reached a breaking point that summer after a drive-by shooting killed a man at Progress Park, topping off a string of violent incidents in the neighborhood just northeast of uptown Charlotte.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of violent

Adverb

As the gunfire was heard, the drone appeared to veer sharply before diving toward the beach.

— Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Polling shows that many younger voters, especially independents, progressive Democrats and some Republicans, have turned sharply against Israel in recent years amid widespread debate over Israel’s prosecution of the war in Gaza.

— Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of sharply

Adjective

To the world, McRae is a strong, fearless entertainer, a triple threat who can pen songs that recall the fizzy pop of the early aughts and bring them to life as a ferocious singer and dancer.

— Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
In 1970, Milton Friedman’s ferocious political essay in the New York Times, and the agency-theorizing that followed provided sufficient intellectual justification.

— Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of ferocious

Adverb

As the parent of a teenager, the thought of a young person violently losing their life in this way is beyond crushing.

— Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026
Set in the epic fantasy world of Orïsha, the story sees a young woman (Mbedu) embark on a quest to reclaim the magic that was violently stolen from her people.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 28 July 2026

Definition of violently

Adjective

Management tried to modernize a restaurant brand built around nostalgia, underestimated how strongly customers identified with its image, and eventually reversed the change after a fierce backlash.

— Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
The jostling grew particularly fierce between South Carolina and Nevada.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of fierce

Adverb

Figures such as Assemblyman Carl DeMaio from San Diego County, an aggressive fiscal hawk who excels at dominating conservative media and raising grassroots funds, command a fiercely loyal base.

— Dain Fitzgerald, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2026
Best known for playing the flawed but fiercely loyal Fiona Gallagher on the Showtime dramedy Shameless, Rossum has always gravitated towards imperfect heroines.

— Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of fiercely

Adjective

That episode inspires a Gospel story where Jesus is asleep on a cushion in the stern of the boat during a furious storm.

— John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
The nine innings the Giants played that followed the furious flurry of medical updates didn’t do much to lift the vibes.

— Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 29 July 2026

Definition of furious

Adverb

While its author, a 25-year-old Nigerian named Jerry Falade, also vehemently denies using AI, in his case nobody seems to believe him — especially after Publishers Lunch ran his manuscript through a detector and got a 97 percent AI score.

— Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026
Madix vehemently denies sharing them with anyone other than Leviss.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of vehemently

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hammer-and-tongs

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“Hammer-and-tongs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammer-and-tongs. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of hammer-and-tongs

adjective

adverb

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