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
The Reds went hammer and tongs in their efforts to find a second, though their hosts were able to hold off the onslaught until the final 10 minutes of the clash.
—SI.com, 15 Aug. 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
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
The Reds went hammer and tongs in their efforts to find a second, though their hosts were able to hold off the onslaught until the final 10 minutes of the clash.
—SI.com, 15 Aug. 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
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
-
Shortly thereafter, Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections and staged a violent coup to overthrow the Palestinian Authority and seize control of the Strip.—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Year-to-date violent crime, as of Aug. 5, is down 26% compared to the year before, and the 2024 figure dropped 35% from 2023.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Typical confusion and disruption for a ferocious Vikings unit led by blitz enthusiast and defensive coordinator Brian Flores, but a shock to the Patriots’ offensive system.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Aquaman star Jason Momoa learned that lesson the hard way while attempting a miles-long paddle through ferocious Hawaiian waters and nearly not coming back up.—
Ryan Coleman Published,
EW.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Nonetheless, the show’s premiere provides the perfect moment to map out the slimy, menacing world of Ellen Ripley and company in their epic battle against one of the galaxy’s fiercest creatures.—
Dan Heching,
CNN Money,
12 Aug. 2025
-
On a subsequent rally, Kaylee smacked a fierce shot past me, scoring her team a point.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
11 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
Officers seen kicking door and waving keys in front of camera After Reyes shut the door to his apartment on July 30, one of the agents fiercely kicked the front door multiple times as if trying to break it down, the security footage shows.—
Graham Hurley,
CNN Money,
9 Aug. 2025
-
Starz's fiercely beloved romantasy Outlander will wrap with its eighth and final season next year.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
And plenty of fans are furious that Childers has embraced studio bells and whistles — there’s vocoder and drum loops on some songs — and is no longer singing exclusively about hardscrabble Appalachian life à la his 2017 debut Purgatory.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
4 Aug. 2025
-
Taiwan’s progressives, furious at the resulting obstruction, thus gathered enough signatures to vote on recalling roughly a third of the KMT’s legislators.—
LEV NACHMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Sheckler and Kells have used the parallels in their turbulent journeys in the spotlight to lean on one another, making their bond stronger over the years.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
14 Aug. 2025
-
By unifying intelligence, manufacturers can run simulations, identify vulnerabilities, and respond proactively—protecting digital and sustainability gains even in turbulent periods.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The Jayhawks’ offense should play a pivotal role in ensuring KU comes out on top. Prediction: Kansas (3-1) Game 5: KU vs. Cincinnati Cincinnati looks to get back on track after a rough first two seasons in the Big 12.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Stepping into the role played by Damon in the film, British actor Milo Callaghan is Rudy Baylor, who has overcome a rough childhood and family tragedy to graduate at the top of his law school class.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
At least 20,000 residents lived in the economic hub prior to the huge earthquakes and volcanic eruption that famously destroyed the city.—
Andrew Paul Aug 7,
Popular Science,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Because of this, Gudmundsson says, about 35 percent of Iceland’s volcanic eruptions happen through glaciers.—
Robin Catalano,
Robb Report,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hammer and tongs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammer%20and%20tongs. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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