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
In the 12th, a combo of sledgehammer rights sent Louis to the canvas for good, his first time being knocked out. — Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026 Video taken at the scene appeared to show bystanders racing over to the crash to help, including two people who used a sledgehammer and a shovel to break into the cockpit. — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 18 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
  • Not heavy-handed, but just really getting into the weeds of things, hence the footnotes.
    — Jan Camenzind Broomby, NPR, 29 July 2026
  • But The Devil’s Mouth is also a layered, and sometimes heavy-handed, metaphor about the importance of not letting someone make choices for you.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 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
  • Adjustable straps, a deep heel cup, and a roomy toe box help relieve pressure points, bunions, and hammer toes.
    — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
  • Thor confronts Doom but the villain catches his magical hammer and throws it aside easily.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 26 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
  • This time, in the middle of the afternoon on Friday, in a tourist and family hotspot, a man was stabbed and rushed to the hospital after a fight with another man, police say.
    — Tammy Mutasa, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Last August, Iryna Zarutska, a white 23-year-old immigrant from Ukraine, was stabbed on the light rail by a man suffering from mental illness.
    — Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026
Definition of stab
Noun
  • Tensions escalated after protesters marching toward Parliament were met with a police crackdown earlier in the week, with officers using batons and tear gas to disperse crowds.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • The demonstrations have become one of the most persistent challenges to Modi’s government in recent years, with thousands returning to the streets even after police used tear gas and batons to disperse marchers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
Definition of baton
Adjective
  • The trope, fair or not, has often overshadowed the fact that science fiction and horror are absolutely perfect bedfellows, with outer space's total isolation, tiny quarters, and oppressive vastness perfectly suited for the horror genre.
    — Matthew Razak, Space.com, 26 July 2026
  • Crews are working nonstop to meet Mayor Karen Bass’ mid-August deadline to clear out 85 million pounds of food that continues to rot in oppressive heat.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026
Definition of oppressive

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sledged
sledgehammer
sledgehammered
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Cite this Entry

“Sledgehammer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sledgehammer. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of sledgehammer for Spanish Speakers

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