Synonyms of sledgehammer

sledgehammer 1 of 3

noun

as in mallet

a large, heavy hammer with a long handle

broke up the concrete using a sledgehammer

Related Words

• mallet
• hammer
• baton
• cane
• beetle
• maul
• bat
• birch
• bludgeon
• gavel
• cudgel
• nightstick
• rod
• truncheon
• billy
• mace
• hickory
• staff
• billy club
• bastinado
• shillelagh
• crook
• waddy
• rung
• sap
• blackjack
• knobkerrie
• club
• rattan
• stave
• switch
• walking stick
• crosier
• crabstick
• whangee

sledgehammer

2 of 3

adjective

as in heavy-handed

Related Words

• heavy-handed
• jackbooted
• oppressive
• ironfisted
• stern
• severe
• ungentle
• tough
• ironhanded
• grim
• rough-and-tumble
• harsh
• thoughtless
• boorish
• knock-down, drag-out
• unthinking
• malicious
• malevolent
• inconsiderate
• heedless
• spiteful
• merciless
• uncaring
• hard-bitten
• virulent
• abusive
• ruthless
• unfriendly
• take-no-prisoners
• rough
• hateful
• surly
• disagreeable
• pitiless
• stony
• soulless
• unloving
• remorseless
• callous
• insensitive
• rancorous
• unmerciful
• brutal
• heartless
• slash-and-burn
• obdurate
• pachydermatous
• acrimonious
• unfeeling
• brutish
• compassionless
• insensate
• inhuman
• unsparing
• thick-skinned
• mean
• inhumane
• savage
• indurate
• unsympathetic
• vicious
• cruel
• case-hardened
• affectless
• desensitized
• hard
• ill-tempered
• uncharitable
• ill-natured
• stonyhearted
• hard-boiled
• hard-hearted
• cold-blooded
• ironhearted
• barbarous
• bestial
• frosty
• cold
• austere
• evil-minded

Dissimilar Words

• sensitive
• sympathetic
• warm
• gentle
• humane
• charitable
• kindly
• kind
• merciful
• mild
• compassionate
• benevolent
• tender
• lenient
• indulgent
• friendly
• cordial
• softhearted
• kindhearted
• gracious
• tenderhearted
• warmhearted
• understanding
• loving
• benignant
• good-natured
• affectionate
• tolerant
• fond
• clement
• good-tempered

sledgehammer

3 of 3

verb

as in to cane

Related Words

• cane
• stab
• spear
• cudgel
• sledge
• slash
• flail
• sap
• whip
• lash
• brain
• club
• thrash
• switch
• skull
• bean
• flog
• conk
• cream
• kick
• floor
• deck
• knee
• butt
• jab
• push
• fell
• bump
• sucker punch
• shove
• tap
• dump
• poke
• knock down
• stroke
• stamp
• level
• prod
• rabbit-punch
• flick
• jostle
• bowl (down or over)
• hammer
• pummel
• chop
• rough
• hit
• bludgeon
• maul
• bunt
• knock
• slap
• smack
• whack
• pepper
• lick
• box
• punch
• mangle
• thump
• swat
• clock
• scuff
• slam
• thwack
• nail
• bang
• bung
• slug
• clobber
• bat
• clout
• clap
• zap
• crack
• smite
• cuff
• bop
• belt
• pelt
• bob
• swipe
• batter
• wallop
• bash
• clip
• drub
• pound
• rap
• buffet
• pommel
• tag
• sock
• lambaste
• bonk
• paste
• strike
• whale
• slog
• bust
• biff
• lace
• beat

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sledgehammer

Noun

They’re just executed here with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

In the ensuing team meeting, both players had to hold a sledgehammer in each hand with their arms straight out. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2026

Adjective

And Sundwall said that, in retrospect, state health officials took a sledgehammer approach to mitigating the pandemic, such as school closings in 2020, when the state could have taken a more surgical tack. — Bethany Rodgers, The Salt Lake Tribune, 27 Sep. 2021

The Academy Award winner quickly turned into a sledgehammer pro, getting involved in breaking through walls and ripping out fixtures. — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE.com, 9 July 2021

Verb

Under cover of darkness, a squad of SEALs enters a two-story apartment building, slips upstairs, and sledgehammers its way through a wall, awakening a family on the other side. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2025

The move means the 7-foot Kiwi will be under contract for the next three seasons and signals that at a time when the game is becoming increasingly perimeter-oriented, the Pelicans will try to sledgehammer their way to wins. — Christian Clark, NOLA.com, 24 Nov. 2020