as in grinding (out)
to produce or bring about especially by long or repeated effort
the city council hammered out new commercial development regulations with input from residents, business owners, and environmental activists
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Recent Examples of hammering out
Stocks fell sharply early in Thursday's session, but steadily clawed their way back as investors appeared to take heart from news reports that Iran and Oman are hammering out a plan to oversee traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
—
Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Aponte’s predecessor Kevin Abrams was the Giants‘ salary cap lead in previous years, most memorably hammering out the early versions of Daniel Jones’ contract extension in the lobby of the JW Marriott here in March 2023.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026
Artificial intelligence, real money When actors and studios arrived at the bargaining table this week to start hammering out the next SAG-AFTRA contract, a key figure in the conversation was not in the room.
—Rebecca Keegan, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
The mayor has faced challenges with hammering out a compromise between the Black and Latino caucuses for the influential role; now Lawson, who is white, could be poised to clinch the spot.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
The statement said that Patagonia and Pattie Gonia—who uses female pronouns—spent several years hammering out an agreement over the activist’s use of the brand’s name.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 23 Jan. 2026
Following Witkoff and Kushner’s visit to the Kremlin in early December, a flurry of high-level diplomacy involving Zelensky and European leaders ensued, with much talk about hammering out the finer points of a potential agreement.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
Lawmakers have gone home for the holidays without hammering out a resolution to address the expiring ObamaCare subsidies as tensions flare amid health care negotiations.
—The Hill Staff, The Hill, 22 Dec. 2025
Similarly, structured equity entails hammering out a capital solution specific to each company; there is no formulaic approach.
—Mike Terwilliger, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025
Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Aponte’s predecessor Kevin Abrams was the Giants‘ salary cap lead in previous years, most memorably hammering out the early versions of Daniel Jones’ contract extension in the lobby of the JW Marriott here in March 2023.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026
Artificial intelligence, real money When actors and studios arrived at the bargaining table this week to start hammering out the next SAG-AFTRA contract, a key figure in the conversation was not in the room.
—Rebecca Keegan, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
The mayor has faced challenges with hammering out a compromise between the Black and Latino caucuses for the influential role; now Lawson, who is white, could be poised to clinch the spot.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
The statement said that Patagonia and Pattie Gonia—who uses female pronouns—spent several years hammering out an agreement over the activist’s use of the brand’s name.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 23 Jan. 2026
Following Witkoff and Kushner’s visit to the Kremlin in early December, a flurry of high-level diplomacy involving Zelensky and European leaders ensued, with much talk about hammering out the finer points of a potential agreement.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
Lawmakers have gone home for the holidays without hammering out a resolution to address the expiring ObamaCare subsidies as tensions flare amid health care negotiations.
—The Hill Staff, The Hill, 22 Dec. 2025
Similarly, structured equity entails hammering out a capital solution specific to each company; there is no formulaic approach.
—Mike Terwilliger, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hammering out
Verb
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With the outbreak of the Iran war in February 2026, Stubb has continued to insist that diplomacy and international cooperation are the true means for ending armed conflict and forging new alliances to ensure lasting peace.—
L. Sue Baugh,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
7 May 2026
-
The bloc has been forging new trade relationships, like an expansive trade agreement with the European Union, in the wake of the tariff turmoil that has seen many of America’s closest trade ties unravel.—
Kate Nishimura,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Regardless, much of the developing world is made up of much younger countries, with populations in Africa, for example, at much lower risk of serious outcomes from COVID-19 than elderly individuals with comorbidities in the United States or Western Europe.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
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Chinese scientists have pushed perovskite tandem solar cells past the critical 30 percent efficiency mark after developing a new way to control how the materials crystallize during manufacturing.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Opt for lower concentrations (think 5–10% instead of 15–20%) and ease in gradually, starting a few times a week before working up to daily use.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
8 May 2026
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The pair are working up a slate of podcasts based around key moments in contemporary American history.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Likewise, in building communities, there must be a priority on preserving green spaces, creating walkable neighborhoods to reduce traffic and car emissions, intentionally designating areas for wildlife habitats, and prioritizing quality of life through parks, trails, and conservation areas.—
Sammy Duda,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
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The letter, sent Friday, comes amid a high-stakes legal battle currently playing out in an Oakland federal courtroom between onetime partners Altman and Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, who in 2015 co-founded the AI company best known for creating ChatGPT.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The Cubs on Friday activated Ethan Roberts, who suffered a freak injury to his right middle finger while working out in mid-April, and sent Gavin Hollowell down to Triple-A Iowa.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
Simpson spent the last few weeks working out in Tennessee.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hammering out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammering%20out. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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