NAILED Synonyms: 252 Similar and Opposite Words

nailed

verb

past tense of nail

as in hit

to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner the boxer nailed his opponent with a devastating left hook

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Relevance

as in decided

to make final, definite, or beyond dispute this latest infidelity nails it—I'm filing for divorce

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in exposed

to reveal the true nature of an investigative report that nailed the teenage novelist as someone who had plagiarized the works of others

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as in arrested

to take or keep under one's control by authority of law the very first time I tried to steal anything, I got nailed

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as in grabbed

to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly the running back saw the pass coming in and nailed it

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of nailed Grey had Jordan on the ropes again, picked her up and nailed her with her knee. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2026 After receiving the ball from an inbound pass with three seconds left in game 5, Jordan nailed the buzzer-beater while floating horizontally through the air near the free throw line. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026 Pfeiffer got a pass on the right edge of the box, cut inside and nailed a shot with her left foot. — Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026 Carey nailed her first two tumbling passes, drawing roars from her home crowd. — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026 Madelynn took pictures of me standing beside a sign nailed to a scaly tree. — Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026 The wearer of the yellow jersey was nailed on for another win, this time in a bunch sprint instead of a reduced pack. — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nailed

Verb

Throw it on over a swimsuit before hitting the beach, or accessorize it with a belt and some sunnies for a laid-back, yet polished, ensemble.

— Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2026
The American military undertook fresh strikes against Iran, hitting air defense and radar system targets.

— Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of hit

Verb

Leading the way in court There are dozens of cases across the country surrounding the legal status of prediction sites, and experts believe the matter will eventually be decided by the Supreme Court.

— Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
For decades, an attacker discovered a vulnerability, a security tool generated an alert, an analyst investigated it, the issue was escalated and eventually someone decided what to do.

— Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of decided

Verb

Under new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson, USC shut out San Jose Staté in the first half, but its depth issues on defense were exposed in the fourth quarter.

— Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
High humidity and sweltering heat accelerated decomposition, compounding the challenges as health experts warned that leaving the remains exposed could increase the risk of disease.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of exposed

Verb

But her condition has deteriorated significantly in the months since she was first arrested in Miami-Dade County on May 5 and booked on a misdemeanor battery charge.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026
Weatherall was arrested in connection with the incident, per the outlet, Fox Carolina and Greenville County public arrest records.

— Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of arrested

Verb

The lawsuit by a Los Angeles studio claims Michael Shvartsman demanded early repayment, threatened its CEO and grabbed a bigger slice of profits after the film’s Mar-a-Lago premiere.

— Ben Wieder, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
The man grabbed his iguana (which survived the flight) and left.

— Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of grabbed

Verb

Brady House smacked a three-run homer, Jackson Kent pitched seven innings of one-run ball to earn his first major league win and the Washington Nationals beat the visiting Miami Marlins 9-2 on Friday.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
In last fall’s season-opener, the Irish smacked Chicago Christian 47-6.

— Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of smacked

Verb

This week, there was a major breakthrough when DNA provided by her sister, Burks, was determined to be a match, enabling investigators to finally identify the 1995 victim as Lydia.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
The hospital was run by Louisiana State University, which determined that Katrina left the building too damaged to reopen — an assessment that was disputed by some hospital staff and community members.

— JACK BROOK, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of determined

Verb

Police said evidence uncovered during the investigation indicated the attack was planned.

— Steve Zalusky, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have uncovered a new processor attack that can bypass defenses in Intel and AMD chips by exploiting a security gap lasting only a handful of instructions.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026