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
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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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
Adjective
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
-
Researchers measured violent and property crime data from 2023, fatal car accidents, drug overdose deaths and excessive drinking rates.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Alderman Raymond Lopez, a Democrat from Chicago’s 15th Ward, wants Trump to send the National Guard to his city because of the violent crime to which people in his city are subjected.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
That truth, that bitterness, ought to cut more sharply than the Super Bowl shellacking.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
-
This allowed the craft to maintain control and stability even when sharply tilted against the current.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
So all of us were just young and hungry and had the energy to be ferocious.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
4 Sep. 2025
-
In the pic, Garfield plays a legendary leader of a ferocious rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
4 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Bolsonaro's charges include attempting to violently end the democratic rule of law, plotting a coup and forming part of an armed criminal organization.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
2 Sep. 2025
-
If Hall jerked too violently, let alone tried to run, the wire would pull the trigger, firing the shotgun Kiritsis had pointed at the back of Hall’s head.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite fierce opposition to certain kids books by conservative activists, Maricopa County, which serves 144,000 library cardholders, received only 12 formal letters asking for reevaluation of library books and DVDs since 2021.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
In August, the discontent grew when a leak showed that the White House's forthcoming MAHA strategy report would sidestep tougher limits on pesticides and other agrochemicals, bowing to fierce industry pressure.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
The company’s volatility record, continued reliance on Bitcoin mining, and exposure to a fiercely competitive, quickly evolving AI market make this a high-risk, high-reward idea.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Google's victory, despite its loss at trial, is largely the result of the fiercely competitive AI industry that's taken shape in less than three years.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Allen leads Bills’ furious comeback After a fast start, the Bills’ offense had extreme difficulty getting things going downfield.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
One of the worst losses from any team this season sparked reactions from furious Dodgers fans on social media.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Trump has vehemently denied that his tariff agenda is a contributor to those challenges.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Linehan has created multiple British comedies but in recent years has been best known for his vehemently anti-trans rhetoric.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hammer and tongs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammer%20and%20tongs. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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