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
-
While Memphis has seen high numbers of violent crimes such as homicides and carjackings in recent years, Democratic and Republican officials have noted decreases this year in some crime categories.—
Devon M. Sayers,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Even so, to take on one of the most famous women in history — and through a lens so bloody and violent — is a mighty tall order.—
Shirley Halperin,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
The number of farm operations filing for bankruptcy remains at historically low levels but has jumped sharply this year as a crisis in the agricultural economy drags on.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
4 Oct. 2025
-
The proportion of Americans who believe legal sports betting is bad for both society and sport in the United States has increased sharply over the past three years, according to a new poll.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In a competition bear-ly more ferocious, 12 chunky brown bears in Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve have been battling it out in one of the most cutthroat places on the planet – the internet.—
Lilit Marcus,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
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The numbers may not leap off the page, but one of Sunday’s most exciting clashes was the 60-minute chess match between the Detroit Lions’ run game and the Cleveland Browns’ ferocious defensive front.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Anyone who has been to the West Bank and seen how Israeli security forces and settlers operate and often abuse the Palestinian population will quickly understand why Palestinians are so opposed (and often violently so) to Israel’s presence there.—
Ben Wedeman,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
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Afterward, prosecutors said Smith was found to have 1,291 child pornography files, several of which involved babies and toddlers and others that showed children being violently raped.—
Julia Marnin,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As Auberge continues expanding into urban markets and deepening its European presence, the challenge will be maintaining that fierce independence at scale.—
Ritu Upadhyay,
Footwear News,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Rescuers are struggling to reach at least 200 hikers trapped in a Mount Everest valley by an unexpectedly fierce weekend snowstorm that pounded the mountain with snow and heavy rain, according to Chinese state media CCTV.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Tech companies are competing fiercely to build the most powerful AI models, but some investors worry the market is in a bubble.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Deep into injury time, there was an example of Van Hecke’s fiercely competitive nature.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Phillies had momentum during a furious comeback that attempted to atone for seven innings of nothingness.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
And my wife is furious at me for that, just because of his actions.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
7 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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Richards has vehemently denied Glanville's claims.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
6 Oct. 2025
-
When the affair allegations initially emerged, Kate vehemently denied things ever turned romantic with Neild.—
Liza Esquibias,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hammer and tongs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammer%20and%20tongs. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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