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
as in sharply
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of hammer-and-tongs
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
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
-
Aerion Targaryen Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett), also known as Aerion Brightflame, is a volatile and cruel Targaryen prince infamous for his arrogance and violent behavior.
-
Nolan seems to be striving for geographic realism interspersed with violent and fantastic episodes.
Adverb
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The one-time 5% tax on the state’s billionaires has rocked Sacramento in recent months, sharply dividing Democrats and splintering labor coalitions.
-
That conflict sharply curtailed the region’s oil exports and saw several gulf countries take direct retaliatory Iranian missile and drone hits.
Adjective
-
Despite Gulf states’ efforts to avoid a regional conflict, the US – alongside Israel – launched a war against Iran, triggering ferocious retaliatory attacks across the Gulf and forcing regional governments to confront once again the question of what American protection really means.
-
In the film’s ferocious climax, Jim is shot but escapes with Selena and Hannah, and the story closes (28 days later) back in the countryside as a jet flies over and augurs their rescue.
Adverb
-
Footage later shared by Storyful captured the terrifying moments that followed as the house began shaking violently around him.
-
There are Welsh people who are almost violently, aggressively confident.
Adjective
-
Despite a few glimmers of good feeling, today's fierce political divisions have redefined a milestone that has often been marked by unity and optimism, at least for a moment.
-
An uncontained blaze in Utah’s Juab County has scorched 34 square miles, forcing the evacuation of Eureka and nearby ranches as firefighters race to shield homes amid fierce winds.
Adverb
-
By the end of the decade, these issues will be actively and fiercely debated in mainstream society—in the courtroom, on the campaign trail, in the media, around the dinner table.
-
The uninitiated might be surprised that Game Changer has amassed a fiercely loyal, very active online fan base.
Adjective
-
Sam Sanders grew up in anger; his father, an alcoholic, would come home from work furious, Matt says, beating Sam with his belt.
-
Seminole commissioners are furious that Lynx wants to hike costs for its mass transit service — even after the county ditched most of its bus routes last January due to a lack of riders.
Adverb
-
Both firms have vehemently denied wrongdoing.
-
There are many American producers who vehemently disagree.
Cite this Entry
“Hammer-and-tongs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammer-and-tongs. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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