1
as in bangs
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
the boxer nailed his opponent with a devastating left hook
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in decides
to make final, definite, or beyond dispute
this latest infidelity nails it—I'm filing for divorce
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in exposes
to reveal the true nature of
an investigative report that nailed the teenage novelist as someone who had plagiarized the works of others
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in arrests
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
the very first time I tried to steal anything, I got nailed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in grabs
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
the running back saw the pass coming in and nailed it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nails
Matas Vokietaitis has two buckets, Jordan Pope nails a 3-pointer, and Texas is off to the hot start that head coach Sean Miller wants.
—
Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 25 Feb. 2026
The brand nails high-quality essentials that look luxe without wrecking your travel budget.
—Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 11 Feb. 2026
The voice cast led by McLaughlin nails it as well and includes cameos from Jennifer Hudson to Jelly Roll.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2026
The Ingrid tiny house nails this, packing an impressive amount of storage and flexibility into a compact footprint.
—New Atlas, 8 Feb. 2026
The American super-brand nails its Tokyo offering with the right balance of East and West.
—Brandon Presser, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026
And Lawrence nails her prompt every time by relying on one specific rule.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 24 Jan. 2026
Accepting the sham of the Jimmy cult, Jimmy Ink kills the last loyal Fingers, then nails her former leader to an upside-down cross.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Julian nails it – the position has been an issue all season, and it should have been dealt with.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 25 Feb. 2026
The brand nails high-quality essentials that look luxe without wrecking your travel budget.
—Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 11 Feb. 2026
The voice cast led by McLaughlin nails it as well and includes cameos from Jennifer Hudson to Jelly Roll.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2026
The Ingrid tiny house nails this, packing an impressive amount of storage and flexibility into a compact footprint.
—New Atlas, 8 Feb. 2026
The American super-brand nails its Tokyo offering with the right balance of East and West.
—Brandon Presser, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026
And Lawrence nails her prompt every time by relying on one specific rule.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 24 Jan. 2026
Accepting the sham of the Jimmy cult, Jimmy Ink kills the last loyal Fingers, then nails her former leader to an upside-down cross.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Julian nails it – the position has been an issue all season, and it should have been dealt with.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nails
Verb
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Wisteria bangs and a French twist Emma Stone’s undone updo is particularly simple to DIY—with the right product cocktail, that is.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
23 Feb. 2026
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Before boarding the bus, schoolboy Harrison Higgins, who bangs the drum, literally, for Darlo, optimistically predicts a 2-1 away win.—
Michael Walker,
New York Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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That’s if his county decides to enact a sales tax, the proceeds of which would have to be applied to homeowner property tax credits.—
Meghan O'Brien,
States Newsroom,
27 Feb. 2026
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Under Arizona rules, the person who claims the prize is the person who signs the ticket, but if the court decides the ticket legally belongs to Circle K, the company could argue that it be awarded the prize.—
Miguel Torres,
AZCentral.com,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Additionally, the proliferation of AI agents used by companies to automate processes exposes them to exponentially more points of vulnerability.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
27 Feb. 2026
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Drawing on thousands of pages of documents, emails, and text messages that have never before been seen on television, this limited series exposes the private machinations of a family torn apart by power, politics, and a desperate desire for their father’s love.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Department of Damage Control arrests Trevor.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
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The sheer scale of an estate for sale in San Francisco’s tony Pacific Heights neighborhood — a residence spanning 26,000 square feet, or the equivalent of 10 average homes — arrests the imagination.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Enraged, John grabs the ring from Carolyn’s finger.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
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Billie jumps from the second floor, injuring her foot, but Chee grabs her.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While this tends to be the case for any Mercury retrograde, those themes are bolstered by the fact that this Mercury retrograde hits your twelfth house of spirituality.—
Maressa Brown,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
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The star produces x-rays as its stellar wind hits the cooler interstellar medium surrounding the star.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But according to Vana, Amazon determines the order of search results using a formula that considers many factors, including the number of reviews and the average rating — suggesting that more reviews and higher ratings help get a seller's products placed higher in search results.—
James Doubek,
NPR,
26 Feb. 2026
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The company, in consultation with the seller and their agent and after a home inspection, determines a fair selling price.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In researching a story that spans the globe, Fox uncovers her mother’s true experience from Nazi slave to freedom fighter, from refugee to spy and saboteur.—
Ben Crandell,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
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The diligent work of our law enforcement partners time and again uncovers those attempting to hide behind a computer screen.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nails. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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