as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
the scuffle escalated into a hammer-and-tongs fight
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sharply
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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
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
-
Despite the official figures offered and pronouncements made by Mamdani and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, New York City remains a very violent place.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2026
-
Landslide tsunamis, like the one that happened in Tracy Arm, are often more localized but also way more violent.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
10 May 2026
Adverb
-
Crime in Los Angeles fell sharply during Villaraigosa’s two terms.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
The cost of supplies and operating expenses have risen sharply, putting pressure on profits.—
William Deffaa,
Baltimore Sun,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
The first wave of women’s-rights activists won suffrage for women, against ferocious and sometimes violent opposition.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
-
Featuring aching, ferocious performances from Emmy winners Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson, Camp Miasma imagines the resurrection of a dormant slasher franchise.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
11 May 2026
Adverb
-
In fossil fuel extraction zones — the Permian Basin in Texas, the Bakken fields of North Dakota, oil regions across the Middle East — lights flicker violently in sync with drilling booms and busts, bearing little relation to broader economic trends.—
Bree Shirvell,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
-
The cases stemmed from a series of allegations, each made that the other acted violently in a series of altercations that month.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
But creating that space has proven challenging, with plans for two new shelters in the city limits abandoned in recent years after fierce neighborhood opposition.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 May 2026
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Wildlife refuges and other nature areas protect 40% of Block Island, and residents are renowned for their fierce opposition to anything that might imperil their pristine Atlantic home.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
8 May 2026
Adverb
-
Evie’s eccentric family also featured, including fiercely loving single mum Suz (Suranne Jones), sister Izzie (Liv Hill), boyfriend Josh (Adam Long), and frustrating neighbor Callum (Owen Cooper).—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
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In California, single-payer is fiercely opposed by health insurers, the California Medical Association, chambers of commerce and a laundry list of industry trade associations.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
The milestone came during Indiana’s season opener against the Dallas Wings on Saturday — a game the Fever ultimately dropped, 107-104, despite a furious offensive performance from both teams.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
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And the opponent’s goals came fast and furious in the opening 45 minutes plus stoppage time — especially during the first 26.—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
10 May 2026
Adverb
-
Patel, who has vehemently denied the outlet’s reporting, has since sued The Atlantic in a $250 million defamation lawsuit.—
Brooke Migdon,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
-
The scion of a prominent South Carolina legal dynasty, Murdaugh has vehemently denied killing his wife and younger son since their bodies were discovered in their estate.—
Daniel Arkin,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hammer-and-tongs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammer-and-tongs. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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