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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hammering
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
That support is under pressure amid Israeli forces’ continued hammering of Gaza, causing starvation and dislocation for its surviving residents.
—David Bloom, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2025
Monsoon rains have been hammering the area for the last week, bringing destruction and complicating rescue efforts in six regencies of North Sumatra, according to the Associated Press and Al Jazeera.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
Like Democrats who emerged victorious in New Jersey, Virginia and elsewhere earlier this month, Behn has been hammering away at concerns about affordability.
—Jonathan Mattise, Fortune, 22 Nov. 2025
The ride felt responsive yet stable, equally at home attacking climbs or hammering flats.
—Joe Jackson, Outside, 19 Nov. 2025
Rugged and stoic men, somewhat nomadic laborers who roamed from job to job, sawing trees one season and hammering railroad spikes into the ground the next.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Nov. 2025
North Carolina also rolled to an easy victory on Monday night, hammering visiting Central Arkansas 94-54.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
The process was costly, tedious and frequently resulted in inflammation from hammering on the jaw.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
The storm has already carved a trail of destruction across the Caribbean, hammering Jamaica, Cuba and neighboring islands with torrential rain and powerful winds.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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
That support is under pressure amid Israeli forces’ continued hammering of Gaza, causing starvation and dislocation for its surviving residents.
—David Bloom, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
Some at Meta were upset that the R1 model released by Chinese AI lab DeepSeek earlier this year incorporated pieces of Llama’s architecture, the people said, further underscoring the risks of open source and hammering home the idea that the company should overhaul its strategy.
—Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2025
Monsoon rains have been hammering the area for the last week, bringing destruction and complicating rescue efforts in six regencies of North Sumatra, according to the Associated Press and Al Jazeera.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
Like Democrats who emerged victorious in New Jersey, Virginia and elsewhere earlier this month, Behn has been hammering away at concerns about affordability.
—Jonathan Mattise, Fortune, 22 Nov. 2025
The ride felt responsive yet stable, equally at home attacking climbs or hammering flats.
—Joe Jackson, Outside, 19 Nov. 2025
Rugged and stoic men, somewhat nomadic laborers who roamed from job to job, sawing trees one season and hammering railroad spikes into the ground the next.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Nov. 2025
North Carolina also rolled to an easy victory on Monday night, hammering visiting Central Arkansas 94-54.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
The process was costly, tedious and frequently resulted in inflammation from hammering on the jaw.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
The storm has already carved a trail of destruction across the Caribbean, hammering Jamaica, Cuba and neighboring islands with torrential rain and powerful winds.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hammering
Noun
-
The memories remained from crawling across the balcony, the pounding on the chamber doors, the screams echoing through the rotunda.—
Norma Torres,
Oc Register,
6 Jan. 2026
-
In that room, Cristobal didn’t come down hard on his staff, no yelling or pounding of the table.—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Alpha School, which purports to teach children academics using AI, is drawing both praise and criticism.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The self-driving cabs have also been involved in numerous accidents and have been caught violating traffic laws, drawing the attention of federal regulators.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Gold extended its relentless rally on Thursday, crossing past $5,500 per ounce and hitting another record high.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
-
After Read discovered him dead in his former colleague's front yard, she was subsequently accused of hitting him with her SUV, sparking not one, but two lengthy and high-profile trials.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Mitch West, meanwhile, was licking his wounds on Monday night, when snow still hadn’t touched down in his region of South Carolina.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
-
England’s Test team are still licking their wounds after their humbling Down Under.—
Sam Dalling,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Sanders, by now a perennial candidate, perfected his craggy, scolding, mitten-waving style.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
-
But more recently, groups of citizens have grown tired of scolding and have begun reaching for the birch rod.—
Nick Bowlin,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
And, the 56-22 CFP semifinal Peach Bowl thrashing of Oregon began with Ponds’ interception return for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
19 Jan. 2026
-
Last season’s 56-7 thrashing of former college football power Nebraska.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
However, the skies aren’t predicting loneliness in this particular moment—maybe just a sense of taking on the burden of forging your own way.—
Steph Koyfman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has already criticized the EU for forging ahead with a trade agreement with India.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Private bankers wealth managers and people looking for seed money will all come knocking.—
Lien De Pau,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hammering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammering. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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