as in pounding
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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
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
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Recent Examples of hammering
Sarah Min, CNBC, 17 Feb. 2026
At Anitra Coulter Blunt's Cedar Park home, the hammering and sawing is music to this musician's ears.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 15 Feb. 2026
Eric Freeny blocked Smith, Bilodeau grabbed the loose ball and threw an outlet to Dailey for a hammering dunk.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, Moscow has kept up its hammering of Ukraine’s energy grid in overnight attacks that killed at least two people, according to Ukrainian officials.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
The brand’s range features cultural designs made using a mix of traditional Chinese techniques, including hammering, carving, hollowing, filigree, embedding, and heat treatment of enamels.
—Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 14 Nov. 2025
The sound of hammering came from outside in the driveway, where some men were building a coffin.
—Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
The 4-0 hammering in France has seen Ajax’s chance of elimination before the knockout stage rise to 85 per cent.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
There and at Jebel Misma, the team found stone-hammering tools left behind by the artists in layers of sediment dating back 12,000 years.
—Martin J. Kernan, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2025
Judy Berman, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Hilton has been hammering Bianco over kneeling during Black Lives Matter protests and, more recently, on immigration.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 24 Feb. 2026
From that time onward, meteorologists were hammering on the forecast, increasing snowfall totals, wind speeds and the overall threat level to make sure people knew the seriousness of what was coming in less than 48 hours.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 23 Feb. 2026
Wisconsin has friendly locals, good beer, tons of good turkey habitat, and gobblers hammering from the Mississippi River to the coast of Lake Michigan.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 19 Feb. 2026
Some high-country regulars are hammering the guides for going out in those conditions.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Severe weather continued hammering the Castle Peak area Wednesday.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2026
The latest bout began after Anthropic PBC released productivity tools for lawyers and financial researchers, hammering the stock price of companies across those industries.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 16 Feb. 2026
The latest bout began after Anthropic PBC released productivity tools for lawyers and financial researchers, hammering the stock price of companies across those industries.
—Jeran Wittenstein, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2026
Noun
Baupost Group’s Seth Klarman picked up Amazon in the fourth quarter, a bet that has yet to work out for the value investor this year as tech stocks take a hammering.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 17 Feb. 2026
At Anitra Coulter Blunt's Cedar Park home, the hammering and sawing is music to this musician's ears.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 15 Feb. 2026
Eric Freeny blocked Smith, Bilodeau grabbed the loose ball and threw an outlet to Dailey for a hammering dunk.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, Moscow has kept up its hammering of Ukraine’s energy grid in overnight attacks that killed at least two people, according to Ukrainian officials.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
The brand’s range features cultural designs made using a mix of traditional Chinese techniques, including hammering, carving, hollowing, filigree, embedding, and heat treatment of enamels.
—Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 14 Nov. 2025
The sound of hammering came from outside in the driveway, where some men were building a coffin.
—Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
The 4-0 hammering in France has seen Ajax’s chance of elimination before the knockout stage rise to 85 per cent.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
There and at Jebel Misma, the team found stone-hammering tools left behind by the artists in layers of sediment dating back 12,000 years.
—Martin J. Kernan, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
If these scenes feel a bit didactic, hammering home everything from the shortage of nurses with SANE training to the dozens of regulations SANEs must follow to protect evidence, their lessons serve as a corrective for many of us who’ve absorbed decades’ worth of rape-as-entertainment.
—Judy Berman, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Hilton has been hammering Bianco over kneeling during Black Lives Matter protests and, more recently, on immigration.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 24 Feb. 2026
From that time onward, meteorologists were hammering on the forecast, increasing snowfall totals, wind speeds and the overall threat level to make sure people knew the seriousness of what was coming in less than 48 hours.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 23 Feb. 2026
Wisconsin has friendly locals, good beer, tons of good turkey habitat, and gobblers hammering from the Mississippi River to the coast of Lake Michigan.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 19 Feb. 2026
Some high-country regulars are hammering the guides for going out in those conditions.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Severe weather continued hammering the Castle Peak area Wednesday.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2026
The latest bout began after Anthropic PBC released productivity tools for lawyers and financial researchers, hammering the stock price of companies across those industries.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 16 Feb. 2026
The latest bout began after Anthropic PBC released productivity tools for lawyers and financial researchers, hammering the stock price of companies across those industries.
—Jeran Wittenstein, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hammering
Noun
-
All around the Tivoli quarries, the air is heavy with the stench of sulfur and the constant pounding, clinking and cracking of giant jackhammers blasting ancient rock into pieces.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
-
This section of shoreline is lined with cliffs, below which are sea caves, formed over centuries by the relentless pounding of Lake Superior waves.—
Stephanie Pearson,
Outside,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The required length of training in active job postings, press releases and media reports has fluctuated, drawing criticism from lawmakers and the public about a lack of transparency.—
Blake Ellis,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Enjoy food, drinks, networking and drawing prizes.—
Pomerado News,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Six Longhorns scored in the first quarter, which ended with Georgia native Bryanna Preston hitting a pull-up jumper at the buzzer.—
Danny Davis,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Everyone’s hitting, banging bodies.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
On April 30, 2025, the dog was reportedly licking its tail and lethargic.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Son disappeared from public view, licking his wounds while also plotting his comeback.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But Saxon said Ye kept him constantly on edge, demanding photo updates of construction work, scolding him for wearing blue instead of the all-black worker uniform Ye preferred, and suddenly adding 24/7 security duties to his workload.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Porter was initially viewed as having a potential edge in the race, but her prospects dimmed after videos emerged in October of the UC Irvine law professor scolding a reporter and swearing at an aide.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The first was at Wolverhampton Wanderers, then the second was in the closing stages of the thrashing of Crystal Palace at Elland Road.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Stevenson played his best game in the Pats’ regular-season finale, a 38-10 thrashing of Miami.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Garcia was detained and later arrested on two counts of grand theft auto, one count of owning or aiding in operating a chop shop, and one count of forging or altering a vehicle title, according to his arrest report.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Brazil seeks new trade allies amid tariff uncertainty Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva accelerated his global diplomatic push, forging new trade agreements amid global upheaval.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
During the heated back and forth, the other man kicked the victim in the upper body twice, knocking him onto the tracks, witnesses told police.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
One of them punched him in the face, knocking some of his teeth out.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hammering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammering. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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