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

Oak Park and Evanston have decided to end their Flock contracts.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026
After sunsetting their decades-long careers in the aerospace industry, brothers Jerry and Peter Wong decided to add a bit of magic to their lives by working at Disney.

— Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of decided

Verb

The Strait of Hormuz crisis has exposed just how vulnerable African economies remain to energy shocks.

— Nana Menya Ayensu, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026
After their secondary was exposed in an NFC championship game defeat by the Seattle Seahawks, the Rams traded for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie.

— Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of exposed

Verb

Dasha Ramírez, now 9, still remembers the day armed, uniformed Border Patrol agents arrested her family, her mother, Noemi Chavez, told the Tribune.

— Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
Federal authorities have arrested and sought to deport pro-Palestinian activists, actions that judges have deemed a First Amendment violation.

— BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today, 6 Sep. 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

That warrant was later recalled after a Court of Appeals judge determined the former governor had filed to have Johnson removed from the case before her warrant was issued.

— Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Sep. 2026
Whether employees receive the day off — and whether they are paid extra for it — is typically determined by their employer’s policies or an employment agreement.

— Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 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