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
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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
-
Once again, the debate in the book is not over whether or not people should be violent.—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
-
As a result, many legends are connected to its violent past, and its dungeon, in particular, is said to be haunted by tortured souls.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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Coffee prices have been increasing sharply since the start of this year.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
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The number of foreign residents has risen sharply in recent years, reaching a record 3 percent of the population in 2024, as Tokyo cautiously loosened visa rules for workers in key industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, and caregiving.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Andrew Garfield leads the feature that is now in production, portraying the leader of a ferocious rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Oct. 2025
-
While there are plenty of realistic iterations featuring ferocious teeth and claws, there are also a wide variety of friendly figurines and plushies.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
20 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
During one depressive episode, Springsteen somberly speeds down the road in his Camaro before violently hitting the brake.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Another theory is that very heavy rainfall after serious drought violently sloshed the waters of Lake Nyos.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Children’s Health Defense, the organization Kennedy built into one of the fiercest foes of childhood vaccines, took interest in the Idaho bill early on.—
Audrey Dutton,
ProPublica,
20 Oct. 2025
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Two-time All Pro linebacker James Harrison led a fierce Pittsburgh Steelers defense for years, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2008.—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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Post-pandemic demand and chronic underbuilding in the area have left buyers competing fiercely, often bidding tens of thousands above asking.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
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Meanwhile Bruce’s mom (Gaby Hoffmann), whom the kid is fiercely protective of, is left annoyingly unexplored.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Foster shared the example of a 29-year-old who only recently cut the cord on parental tracking, and their mother was furious.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
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At the time, fans around the league were furious because the Oilers had already had the first overall pick three times in the previous five years.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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Live Nation has vehemently denied those allegations as well, though that hasn’t stopped criticism from other stakeholders in the business.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Those who have fueled the theory have suggested that Epstein worked with Israeli intelligence in exchange for his considerable wealth, or in a mutually-beneficial relationship—something his supporters have vehemently denied.—
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hammer and tongs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammer%20and%20tongs. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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