1
as in drawing
to shape with a hammer
medieval artisans hammered brass into various bowls and trays, which they then embossed with elaborate designs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in hitting
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
hammer a nail hammered the ball for a home run
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in licking
to strike repeatedly
tried hammering the door to wake them up the crops were hammered with hail
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in scolding
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
the critics have long been hammering the stage actress for resorting to the same mixed bag of mannerisms over and over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in pounding
Related Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hammering
Jimmy Williams Jr, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025
The right-hander’s outing started ominously, with Jurickson Profar hammering the third pitch of the game 350 feet over the right-field wall for a 1-0 lead.
—Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2025
The whole thing is pure Advanced Screen Chemistry 108, and being an audience to these two hammering away at each other with such complete ferocity and verbal dexterity is a joy.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025
If workers will be jack-hammering your front walk or moving soil with a front-loader, the neighbors will take notice.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
Skeptics warn that Putin is playing for time, for the opportunity to keep hammering Ukraine on the battlefield while giving lip service to seeking peace.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
The players are not just hammering the weights at this time.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
Tariffs are hammering its balance sheet and it’s burdened by an unruly European brand structure.
—Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 10 Aug. 2025
Rising heat, drought, and flooding are hammering key production hubs.
—Kurt Kipka, Sourcing Journal, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
Fewer than 10% of workers in this country are members of unions, and that number continues to drop as the current administration spends our tax dollars hammering federal workers.
—Jimmy Williams Jr, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025
The right-hander’s outing started ominously, with Jurickson Profar hammering the third pitch of the game 350 feet over the right-field wall for a 1-0 lead.
—Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2025
The whole thing is pure Advanced Screen Chemistry 108, and being an audience to these two hammering away at each other with such complete ferocity and verbal dexterity is a joy.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025
If workers will be jack-hammering your front walk or moving soil with a front-loader, the neighbors will take notice.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
Skeptics warn that Putin is playing for time, for the opportunity to keep hammering Ukraine on the battlefield while giving lip service to seeking peace.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
The players are not just hammering the weights at this time.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
Tariffs are hammering its balance sheet and it’s burdened by an unruly European brand structure.
—Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 10 Aug. 2025
Rising heat, drought, and flooding are hammering key production hubs.
—Kurt Kipka, Sourcing Journal, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hammering
Verb
-
Almanza threw a 47-yard pass to Mahamadou Siby, which saw the senior haul in a catch despite the front of his jersey being grabbed and drawing a flag.—
Cody Thorn,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Sep. 2025
-
As United’s right wing-back plays the ball inside to Fernandes, Mazraoui drops, drawing Josh Laurent upfield and further vacating the space for Amad to attack.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
But the Braves came back with three runs in the eighth on an RBI single from Matt Olson, a run-scoring triple from the hot-hitting Ozzie Albies and a single from Drake Baldwin.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And the thump, thump, thumping of her brother’s hands pounding a heavy bag.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
30 Aug. 2025
-
These unofficial remixes, uploaded from unremarkable accounts, create a kind of Satie-esque audio overdose, pounding the band’s melody into abstraction, pure stimulus.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Exactly what was needed for a thrashing of Girona.—
Sam Leveridge,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
-
The band Welles scored a gig at Bonnaroo in 2017, released a few EPs and a full album in 2018, and toured a bunch, but the world wasn’t especially interested in grunge-metal thrashings.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
After designing his first collection in 1974, Armani and Galeotti founded Giorgio Armani SpA in 1975, forging a formidable team and creating their own label of men and women’s ready-to-wear.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Guerrero dreams of terraforming with lasers, electric zeppelins, and forging collaborations in optics, energy efficiency, and space technology.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Roughly 89 hours after landing in Buffalo, there Prater was knocking the game-winning, walk-off 32-yard field goal through the uprights to beat the Baltimore Ravens 41-40 in what could be the NFL’s game of the year.—
Joe Buscaglia,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Fall is officially knocking at our doors, which means last month’s linen sets and sandals just won’t cut it.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Excluding the pandemic, that’s the slowest average monthly gain for that January to August time frame since 2010, when the United States was still licking its wounds from the Great Recession.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Today, Alabama is licking its wounds.—
Don Yaeger,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This is the last organization that should be lecturing anyone about respecting the game.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Faculty across the state rebuked it as an infringement on academic freedom and warned of a mass chilling effect on free speech and lecturing on divisive topics.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hammering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammering. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share