NAILS Synonyms: 243 Similar and Opposite Words

nails

verb

present tense third-person singular of nail

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

as in decides

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 exposes

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 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

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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

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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 nails Soldier, that nails the current plight of the modern American military outfit. — Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2026 This shot nails the mural’s vibrant colors and crisp wood-grain details, but upon close inspection, there's some noise and softening on the edges. — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 30 Oct. 2026 But Moe pulls it together in time for dinner and nails a menu that includes Thai crab salad, a beautiful piece of kingfish with curry, and a chocolate matcha cake. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2026 Diego Cardoso, the culinary director for the museum, developed a menu that nails the balance of high-low. — Khushbu Shah, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Oct. 2026 Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat Long Lasting Waterproof Lip Liner nails the trifecta, with a comfortable formula, impressive staying power, and an impressive shade range that makes finding a natural-looking match refreshingly easy. — Sheryl George, Allure, 20 Oct. 2026 The black diamond backdrop framing the classic cowboy spur really nails the retro look. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026 Anderson’s collaboration with this gifted young man nails the one thing that every great concert movie tries gift to those who could not be there for the original moment. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026 The film’s most heartbreaking scene sees Davidson’s character singing to his daughter over the phone before a deadly shootout ensues, and the actor nails it. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nails

Verb

Especially the guy who bangs a wrecking ball against the historic East Wing to make room for an incongruous ballroom monstrosity, who mars the sacred Oval Office with gold glitter and paves over the lovely Rose Garden.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
When selecting the perfect of-the-moment style for you (Jane Birkin bangs?

— Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 8 June 2026

Definition of bangs

Verb

As a most un-saintlike Mother Teresa, Dueñas gives voice to a seething, inconsolable fury, an assertion of pure, ferocious will, that exposes the preciousness of Ambrossi and Calvo’s poetic and structural conceits.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2026
The Caller’s loss of donors exposes how much of a gamble this has been.

— Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of exposes

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

Definition of arrests

Verb

Lithium grabs the spotlight, but cheap and abundant sodium has long held the key to large-scale energy storage.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
Testing spoons stored in a manner where lip contact surface contamination could happen when employee grabs the spoon from container.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of grabs

Verb

The novels follow Cammie Skoura, a brilliant, neurodivergent young scientist aboard a deep-space expedition that uncovers a trail of ancient ruins and long-dead alien civilizations leading toward a mind-shattering discovery.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2026
But then a series of murders occur, eerily similar to those of the Ferryman, and a reporter uncovers her identity and wants an interview.

— Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026