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
All the cool girls are tying silk scarves to their handbags as elevated bag charms, and this one nails the look in baby blue and spring green.
—
Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
Styles nails the daring outfits, but can everyday guys pull them off?
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 15 Mar. 2026
And Amanda Robles nails all of it, which is quite an accomplishment for someone who is making her national tour debut.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2026
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
Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
Styles nails the daring outfits, but can everyday guys pull them off?
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 15 Mar. 2026
And Amanda Robles nails all of it, which is quite an accomplishment for someone who is making her national tour debut.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nails
Verb
-
Another bangs his head against the wall after expressing suicidal thoughts.—
Morgan Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Another bangs his head against the wall after expressing suicidal thoughts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Jackson is aghast when Wahlberg shows up fat and scraggly for filming, ultimately firing him and hiring Ryan Gosling, who secretly thinks Wahlberg had the right idea but decides to keep his mouth shut.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The desirable outcome is that a jury, which decides questions of fact, decides that social media is addictive and it was designed to maximize engagement.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Mlotek hopes the concert exposes the audience to a distinguished heritage filled with jubilant and energetic music.—
Lois K. Solomon,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Kurt's key takeaway This incident exposes a larger problem.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Department of Damage Control arrests Trevor.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
-
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
-
In the kitchen, Wells grabs a round of dough resting in semolina flour.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Inspired, Larry grabs a random woman and kisses her on the mouth.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Jerusalem, timid about the prospect of a land invasion, can only respond with more airstrikes until the regime hits its breaking point and the people rise up.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Lexus always hits the 3 Ss for SUV consumers – sportiness, style and storage – and the RX350 is no different.—
Marc D. Grasso,
Boston Herald,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Federal protections set a baseline, state laws can strengthen them considerably, and the type of debt involved determines how quickly and aggressively a creditor can act.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
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The math that drives political consensus isn’t the same math that determines economic outcomes.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The story follows a young woman who regains consciousness after three years in a coma, only to be confronted by the apparition of her deceased sister, as their mother’s search for the truth behind the sister’s death gradually uncovers a dark hereditary secret stretching back centuries.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
17 Mar. 2026
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In a political thriller with intertwining story lines, the A-lister stars as a veteran CIA agent who uncovers an assassination plot in the Middle East.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nails. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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