1
as in draws
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 hits
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 licks
to strike repeatedly
tried hammering the door to wake them up the crops were hammered with hail
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in scolds
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hammers
Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 24 Feb. 2026
Over and over again, Cameron hammers his favorite themes.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
That last part proves most elusive, as the film hammers home repeatedly, though not very subtly.
—NPR, 11 Nov. 2025
The series really hammers home Scorsese’s exploration of good and evil in his work.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
From Pong to Fortnite, Minor’s investigation is a broad stroke that really hammers home just how vast and varied the gaming industry is.
—Joshua Lamb, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Fishing for trophy muskies is all about the eat — that moment of ambush when a big fish finally commits and hammers your lure.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
Catcher Clayton Namkin hammers the 1-2 pitch into the scoreboard for a two-run home run.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 24 Feb. 2026
Over and over again, Cameron hammers his favorite themes.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
That last part proves most elusive, as the film hammers home repeatedly, though not very subtly.
—NPR, 11 Nov. 2025
The series really hammers home Scorsese’s exploration of good and evil in his work.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
From Pong to Fortnite, Minor’s investigation is a broad stroke that really hammers home just how vast and varied the gaming industry is.
—Joshua Lamb, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Fishing for trophy muskies is all about the eat — that moment of ambush when a big fish finally commits and hammers your lure.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hammers
Verb
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Additionally, the Hudson Farmers' Market draws local growers and makers with fresh produce, baked goods, cheeses, and flowers on Saturdays from spring to fall.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The family draws inspiration from beloved Southern desserts and customer suggestions, baking mix-ins from scratch and folding them into cream that really couldn’t be fresher.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Motherhood, grief, forgiveness, and love will take over the big screen when Reminders of Him hits theaters on March 13, 2026.—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Cuba scored in the bottom half on Yoelkis Guibert’s run-scoring groundout off winner Cal Quantrill, who allowed an unearned run and two hits over five innings.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Then, Mitski licks up the blood on the girl’s finger.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
16 Jan. 2026
-
After the drill, Ruin rolls onto his back, then licks a reporter's nose.—
Megan Sauer
Tasia Jensen,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While some online scolds didn’t like Johnson’s profanity, this has played well in Chicago, a city that has been ravenous for a winning Bears team since the 20th Super Bowl.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Or on Bluesky with the joke scolds, or on Mastodon with the Linux hackers, or on Threads with the voice-forward brands?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Wearing hooded sweatshirts and full-face masks, the robbers ordered employees to one part of the room at gunpoint before two of them smashed the glass display cases with sledgehammers, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.—
Nick Sullivan
March 7,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Other sufferers, however, who submitted entries to the 1983 Migraine Art Competition, depicted their pain in drawings and paintings of nails, needles, axes, ice picks, arrows, bolts, jaws, chisels, shivs, guns, red-hot spears, sledgehammers, devils, and long pins.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Pascal forges an ex-studio chief’s knowledge, relationships, and favors into big-budget commercial pictures.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2026
-
In the Texas Hill Country following the Civil War, 14-year-old Travis is left in charge of the family ranch when his father goes on a long cattle drive and soon forges a reluctant bond with a wandering yellow dog.—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Nahill is even featured in a video, indulgently attempting to snack on a donut, before Tyson, now a de facto spokesperson for HHS’ healthy foods initiatives, slaps it out of his hand.—
Chelsea Cirruzzo,
STAT,
27 Feb. 2026
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Is this violence different from the time in her childhood when Irene slaps her?—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Irons pounds the drums like Bam-Bam smashing on two garbage-can lids.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Macron said France is expending diplomatic capital to ensure a return to calm and to allow for the Lebanese armed forces to assert themselves as Israel pounds Hezbollah positions.—
Sylvie Corbet,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hammers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammers. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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