sledgehammer 1 of 3

noun

Definition of sledgehammernext
as in mallet
a large, heavy hammer with a long handle broke up the concrete using a sledgehammer

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sledgehammer

2 of 3

adjective

as in heavy-handed

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Dissimilar Words

sledgehammer

3 of 3

verb

as in to cane

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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 sledgehammer
Noun
The complaint says Salle’s 2025 painting shares the works’ pose, perspective, clothing, and overall visual impression, differing chiefly in that its subject holds an axe instead of a sledgehammer. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 8 July 2026 But this fiscal sledgehammer is not the solution. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 20 June 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 See All Example Sentences for sledgehammer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sledgehammer
  1. mallet
  2. heavy-handed
  3. cane
  4. hammer
  5. jackbooted
  6. stab
  7. baton
  8. oppressive
Noun
  • After butterflying the breast, place a piece of plastic wrap or parchment on top and use a meat mallet or small, heavy skillet to pound it to an even thickness.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 21 June 2026
  • Diana held a croquet mallet during a game at Itchenor, West Sussex, as seen in this 1970 portrait.
    — Joyann Jeffrey, PEOPLE, 21 June 2026
Definition of mallet
Adjective
  • An almost offhanded mention of suicide in passing is as close to heavy-handed as things get.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Not heavy-handed, but just really getting into the weeds of things, hence the footnotes.
    — Jan Camenzind Broomby, NPR, 29 July 2026
Definition of heavy-handed
Verb
  • Singapore’s education minister has confirmed that teachers are allowed to use caning to discipline unruly students in certain cases.
    — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
  • In 1994, American teenager Michael Fay was caned at a Singaporean prison for vandalism, a day after his sentence was reduced from six lashes to four in response to an appeal by President Bill Clinton.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026
Definition of cane
Noun
  • There are a few brief, shining glimpses of the chemistry and character moments that made the first movie such a joy—like the early party scene where the team tries to lift Thor’s hammer—but Ultron is otherwise a slog.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Williams, a 5-10, 202-pound hammer, had a breakout year at Iowa State in 2024 before tearing his ACL five games into 2025.
    — Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of hammer
Adjective
  • Karol let those lines here serve as her brief indictment of the present, jackbooted environment around immigration and repression in the United States.
    — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Hungary under his rule is far from a jackbooted dictatorship, but its democracy is diverging markedly from that of many of its partners in the European Union.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2018
Definition of jackbooted
Verb
  • As part of the plea, Marodi also admitted to having a prior serious felony conviction stemming from the 2000 stabbing death of her then-husband, James Joseph Olejniczak.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The teen stabbed a police officer with a knife and stole his weapon -- a 9mm pistol -- just before the incident, then used it to carry out the attack.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of stab
Noun
  • In one of the incidents, the Chinese coast guard allegedly wounded a Philippine sailor by striking him in the head with a baton, according to the Philippine military.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The police attacked them with batons, tear gas, and pellet guns.
    — Asim Ali, Time, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of baton
Adjective
  • This stretch of eastern Long Island has long been a respite for New Yorkers seeking a seaside reprieve from the oppressive heat.
    — Elise Taylor, Vogue, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Alongside health advice, state media has repeatedly returned to a familiar propaganda theme — Kim’s willingness to endure the same oppressive weather faced by ordinary North Koreans.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of oppressive

Browse Nearby Words

sledged
sledgehammer
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Cite this Entry

“Sledgehammer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sledgehammer. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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