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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of hammering
Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 6 May 2026
That's the part worth hammering, not that Nike is greedy or calculating.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
The tap-tap-tap hammering up and down my spine and around my shoulder blades actually soothed me nearly to sleep.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
In non-CinemaCon news, the looksmaxx influencer managed to unite the internets in mocking his dew-eyed meltdown and interview walk-off over being asked modestly difficult questions about his reputation (instead of being asked, say, which moisturizer is best for post-jaw hammering).
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2026
Every golfer knows the feeling — standing over a shot that matters, heart hammering, hands fighting to stay steady.
—Ryan Brennan
april 14, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
An abduction sequence ties the audience’s nerves in knots with cinematographer Isaac Bauman’s athletic tracking shot loping up the stairs to Margot’s apartment accompanied by Gavin Brivik’s pulse-hammering score.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Yes, Super Mario Galaxy Movie will have all the hammering power of Imax and PLF screens.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
Ronnie Moyers heard the bird hammering in the woods one morning in late February, several weeks before the species usually shows up in Virginia’s western highlands.
—Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2026
John Hollinger, New York Times, 15 May 2026
And hammering a prime spawning flat unremittingly will just as surely scatter the fish to find their springtime bliss elsewhere.
—John Phillips, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
Job cuts are hammering the tech industry as companies ramp up investments in artificial intelligence.
—Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Kreider made no mistake hammering the puck past Hart from the low slot.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 9 May 2026
Crisis in Persian Gulf pushes gas prices higher Sky-high gasoline prices are hammering drivers across the United States as the Iran war chokes off global oil supply.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 6 May 2026
Bolton took The Associated Press through the exhibit late last week as a huge team of installers was busy hammering, nailing, posing and otherwise adjusting the 400 items on display.
—Jocelyn Noveck, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Instead of simply being bogged down and hammering on each other's positions, the reaction of both sides was to embrace military drones of various sizes to spy on or attack the enemy.
—David Szondy
may 02, New Atlas, 2 May 2026
Workers and technicians are hammering away in preparation for the return of Blue Man Group to Orlando, right down to the placement and pounding of PVC pipes, one of the ensemble’s distinctive musical instruments.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
Wrexham were fourth bottom of the fledgling table after the third of those three losses, a 3-1 hammering by Queens Park Rangers.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 6 May 2026
That's the part worth hammering, not that Nike is greedy or calculating.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
The tap-tap-tap hammering up and down my spine and around my shoulder blades actually soothed me nearly to sleep.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
In non-CinemaCon news, the looksmaxx influencer managed to unite the internets in mocking his dew-eyed meltdown and interview walk-off over being asked modestly difficult questions about his reputation (instead of being asked, say, which moisturizer is best for post-jaw hammering).
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2026
Every golfer knows the feeling — standing over a shot that matters, heart hammering, hands fighting to stay steady.
—Ryan Brennan
april 14, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
An abduction sequence ties the audience’s nerves in knots with cinematographer Isaac Bauman’s athletic tracking shot loping up the stairs to Margot’s apartment accompanied by Gavin Brivik’s pulse-hammering score.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Yes, Super Mario Galaxy Movie will have all the hammering power of Imax and PLF screens.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
Ronnie Moyers heard the bird hammering in the woods one morning in late February, several weeks before the species usually shows up in Virginia’s western highlands.
—Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
Synthesizing all that information into a draft board, even at the top, isn’t an instant process for staff that have been hammering away at this all year, let alone for a team like the Chicago Bulls, picking fourth, that hired its general manager a week ago.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 15 May 2026
And hammering a prime spawning flat unremittingly will just as surely scatter the fish to find their springtime bliss elsewhere.
—John Phillips, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
Job cuts are hammering the tech industry as companies ramp up investments in artificial intelligence.
—Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Kreider made no mistake hammering the puck past Hart from the low slot.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 9 May 2026
Crisis in Persian Gulf pushes gas prices higher Sky-high gasoline prices are hammering drivers across the United States as the Iran war chokes off global oil supply.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 6 May 2026
Bolton took The Associated Press through the exhibit late last week as a huge team of installers was busy hammering, nailing, posing and otherwise adjusting the 400 items on display.
—Jocelyn Noveck, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Instead of simply being bogged down and hammering on each other's positions, the reaction of both sides was to embrace military drones of various sizes to spy on or attack the enemy.
—David Szondy
may 02, New Atlas, 2 May 2026
Workers and technicians are hammering away in preparation for the return of Blue Man Group to Orlando, right down to the placement and pounding of PVC pipes, one of the ensemble’s distinctive musical instruments.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hammering
Noun
-
Another popular belief is that the pounding of the raindrops on the ground mimics the sound of moles hunting for food, and the worms flee to escape being on the mole’s menu.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Russia’s relentless pounding of urban areas behind the front line following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago has killed thousands of civilians.—
Serra Yedikardes,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Moon in Taurus moves through your 4th House of Home, drawing attention to comfort, family, and emotional foundations.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 May 2026
-
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also reported new hantavirus cases in Spain and France, drawing attention to the rare but potentially severe disease, which can cause serious respiratory complications in humans.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Kay, meanwhile, rebounded after a first inning filled with traffic — two singles and hitting a batter with a pitch — to top his previous career high of 5 2/3 innings.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
-
As Kelsey Luderer rounded third base and headed home Thursday after hitting a game-tying home run that ignited Sherman Oaks Notre Dame to a 6-3 Division 1 softball playoff win over Anaheim Canyon, she was greeted by every teammate at the plate.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Even small exposures—such as licking pollen off fur or drinking water from a vase containing lilies—can be toxic.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
15 May 2026
-
Vietnamese-style sweet-and-spicy chicken wings are a hot, finger-licking mess.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
First, as the Florida ACLU’s Howard Simon points out, Uthmeier is not scolding another branch of government.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Security guard Pascal Duvier, most recently infamous for allegedly scolding 11-year-old Ada Law at a hotel in São Paulo, is clearing the air.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Arsenal enters the match as the favorite, but Sporting has been resilient in the Champions League, rebounding from a 3-0 loss to tournament darlings Bodo/Glimt with a 5-0 thrashing in Lisbon.—
Pueng Vongs,
Mercury News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
His only Champions League goal arrived in January’s 6-0 thrashing of Qarabag, and his only assists in the competition came in similarly comfortable wins over Eintracht Frankfurt and Galatasaray.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Before leading the space agency, Isaacman paid to lead two private SpaceX flights, in 2021 and 2024, commanding crews on multiday trips around the Earth, forging a close relationship with Musk.—
Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
22 May 2026
-
The film charts how Suzuki redefined postwar Japanese cinema by defying the conventions of the studio system, forging a style built on garish pop-art imagery and aggressive formal experimentation.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
However, when his past comes knocking, he is forced to confront it.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
22 May 2026
-
The footmen of such regimes always come knocking on your door at around four in the morning.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hammering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammering. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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