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
Etronik Overnight Duffel Bag A trolley sleeve instantly makes any bag more travel-friendly, and this overnight duffel nails the detail.
—
Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 19 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
This is a practically perfect translation, capturing the books’ madness, eccentric humor, and darkly inventive imagination — and Harris, of course, nails it.
—Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Jan. 2026
Wil Lutz nails the 24-yard field goal.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
And Josh Hubbard nails a 3-pointer out of the timeout for Mississippi State.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 3 Jan. 2026
But Louisa absolutely nails the appeal of this show.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 2 Jan. 2026
Now, she name-checks fellow makeup artist, Nina Park, as someone who nails the look time and time again.
—Hannah Coates, Vogue, 1 Jan. 2026
Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 19 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
This is a practically perfect translation, capturing the books’ madness, eccentric humor, and darkly inventive imagination — and Harris, of course, nails it.
—Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Jan. 2026
Wil Lutz nails the 24-yard field goal.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
And Josh Hubbard nails a 3-pointer out of the timeout for Mississippi State.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 3 Jan. 2026
But Louisa absolutely nails the appeal of this show.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 2 Jan. 2026
Now, she name-checks fellow makeup artist, Nina Park, as someone who nails the look time and time again.
—Hannah Coates, Vogue, 1 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nails
Verb
-
The sheep alien bangs its head on the glass in the nextdoor cell, startling Tootles, who falls over and spills the tray.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But Colton has something else up his sleeve and decides to make a big swing before the roundtable, pulling Lisa aside in an attempt to ally with her.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The board decides things but doesn’t implement its decisions.—
Kelly G. Richardson,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The film did well, but its exclusion from the Film Editing category exposes a vulnerability.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Regional variation exposes structural differences.—
Güney Yıldız,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Bascombe is the one who arrests Jamie Miller (Cooper) under suspicion of murder.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Police officer Hugo Crussi (Vogrincic) traces the voice to a young preacher, Jonas Flores (Zurita), and arrests him.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Weaver, a 6-foot-3 senior, is the energizer defender who grabs rebounds, gets dirty on the court and scores the occasional hustle basket.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Jan. 2026
-
In the clip, Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries) and Percy (Walker Scobell) are standing on the edge of the dance floor in what appears to be a school gymnasium when, all of a sudden, Annabeth takes a deep breath and grabs Percy’s hand, dragging him onto the dance floor.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Kieboom hits right-handed, which is of value to an organization short on pure right-handed hitters.—
Bernie Pleskoff,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Then the conversation kind of just hits a lull.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That means American users’ experience on the app is unlikely to change in a visible way, although the algorithm that determines what videos are served to their feeds could shift as the new ownership group takes control.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
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For rural health CIOs, foundational technology determines the success of these programs.—
David Chou,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This approach uncovers systemic issues and shows your team that honesty won't be punished.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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Emmy Rossum plays the lady in question, and Alex Karpovsky stars as the journalist who uncovers her real identity — and motives — decades later.—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nails. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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