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
Domingo nails it and is very moving.
—
Pete Hammond, Deadline, 9 June 2026
Celebrity nail artist Julie Kandalec painted Emily Blunt’s short, square nails an inky shade of purple for the Louis Vuitton Cruise 2027 show, while Charli XCX wore a short, black cherry manicure by artist Naomi Yasuda to the 2026 Met Gala.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 6 June 2026
Avots nails the physical awkwardness of Semjonova’s frame, playing her as uncomfortable even on the basketball court.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 2 June 2026
Set the scene If first impressions matter, Four Seasons Resort Langkawi absolutely nails it.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
The secret to wearing denim in the summer is choosing silhouettes that feel light and breathable, and Martha Stewart’s recent look nails the balance between polished and practical.
—Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 27 May 2026
The risk is whether Alkimia nails the balance between modernizing the combat and keeping Gothic’s deliberately rough, unforgiving soul, and reviews will answer that fast.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Raphael nails every line delivery, Woods gets to unleash his wild side from time to time (while usually trapped in a beta bear), and Jalees helps make her put-upon fox endearing and entertaining.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 May 2026
Myers nails the realistic teen who is a far cry from the unflappable Nancy Drew, screwing up plenty and often terrified of what she's gotten herself into.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
Pete Hammond, Deadline, 9 June 2026
Celebrity nail artist Julie Kandalec painted Emily Blunt’s short, square nails an inky shade of purple for the Louis Vuitton Cruise 2027 show, while Charli XCX wore a short, black cherry manicure by artist Naomi Yasuda to the 2026 Met Gala.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 6 June 2026
Avots nails the physical awkwardness of Semjonova’s frame, playing her as uncomfortable even on the basketball court.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 2 June 2026
Set the scene If first impressions matter, Four Seasons Resort Langkawi absolutely nails it.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
The secret to wearing denim in the summer is choosing silhouettes that feel light and breathable, and Martha Stewart’s recent look nails the balance between polished and practical.
—Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 27 May 2026
The risk is whether Alkimia nails the balance between modernizing the combat and keeping Gothic’s deliberately rough, unforgiving soul, and reviews will answer that fast.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Raphael nails every line delivery, Woods gets to unleash his wild side from time to time (while usually trapped in a beta bear), and Jalees helps make her put-upon fox endearing and entertaining.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 May 2026
Myers nails the realistic teen who is a far cry from the unflappable Nancy Drew, screwing up plenty and often terrified of what she's gotten herself into.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nails
Verb
-
When selecting the perfect of-the-moment style for you (Jane Birkin bangs?—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
8 June 2026
-
Teal'c takes out some frustrations on an unlucky grunt who bangs him with a door at the start of every time loop, and O'Neill gets to (temporarily) sample the will-they side of his will-they-won't-they relationship with Carter.—
Daryl Baxter,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Studios will also be required to notify the DGA if an employer decides to license a director’s work to train a generative AI system to create new work.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
-
In the second step, a machine learning algorithm decides how to best combine the strength estimates with other information about the teams.—
Achim Zeileis,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
The most valuable category of software in regulated domains over the next decade will be the boring infrastructure that captures, stores and exposes evidence with full lineage.—
Anna Meadows,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
The novel painfully exposes the ruthless mistreatment and exploitation of both racehorses and humans in this era and tracks the ripples of that trauma through time.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Keith arrests our thinking, and cons us into suppressing our critical faculties with the same kind of internalized surveillance that philosopher Michel Foucault broke down to describe a prison’s use of the panopticon in Discipline and Punish.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
-
Devlin throws a punch at Stone when the chief arrests him for drunken driving.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The design is what grabs your attention at first sight.—
Utkarsh Sood
June 12,
New Atlas,
12 June 2026
-
Radke grabs a book and hands it to me.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Quick hits Cornerback Chau Smith-Wade, who is seeing time at safety, blitzed Pickett for a would-be sack during 11-on-11 work.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
-
He's recorded 135 total tackles, 24 sacks, and 53 quarterback hits.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
This Is Where the Serpent Lives is a systems novel about who gets to have ambition in the first place in a country where a person’s caste still determines so much of the course of their lives.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
The report by the city auditor’s office found that there are gaps in how the city assesses costs, collects data and determines successful outcomes for unsheltered residents.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The investigation uncovers a decades-old love affair.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
1 June 2026
-
At the center of the story is the youngest daughter, Marjorie, who uncovers a dark secret within the family and is forced to face the unsettling reality that sometimes lies carry more power than truth.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nails. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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