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
Venezuelan rescuers often relied on sledgehammers, pickaxes and shovels because hydraulic rescue equipment and heavy machinery were unavailable. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026 After shattering the hearts of the USMNT with a sledgehammer, and then stomping on them for good measure, Belgium will look to end Spain’s dream of winning a second consecutive major tournament following its EURO 2024 victory. — David Hickey, NBC news, 10 July 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
  • In this 1970 photo, a 9-year-old Diana is holding a croquet mallet during a game at Itchenor, West Sussex.
    — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 4 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of mallet
Adjective
  • Its attempts to do so, most notably by interweaving elements of 1939’s The Wizard of Oz — including a CGI lion voiced by Colman Domingo — are heavy-handed acts of fan service that feel arbitrary.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Now, Hochman seems to be doing the same with his heavy-handed approach to Flores.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 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
  • The suspect removes a hammer from his pocket and repeatedly strikes the statue before knocking it off its pedestal.
    — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • 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
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
  • Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) Communications via AP Hines stabbed Jenkins to death while the 54-year-old was working as a motel maid in Kingston Springs.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Lunceford eventually began moving toward doors leading outside, where the stabbing victim was being treated and roughly a dozen other workers were nearby.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of stab
Noun
  • The Public Defender's Office said Govindbhai, without double-checking the plate numbers, walked to the driver's side door and struck the window with his baton four times, smashing the glass.
    — Jose Fabian, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Some pushed against barricades and scuffled with police, who responded by firing tear gas rounds, using water cannon and beating them with batons, TV footage showed.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of baton
Adjective
  • Casablanca is another clear reference point for an episode in which a café serves as a locus of intrigue for a resistance group fighting against oppressive invaders.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Airport ground crews in hot climates can be exposed to oppressive heat, and airlines must protect their health.
    — Emma Balleste, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of oppressive

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sledged
sledgehammer
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Cite this Entry

“Sledgehammer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sledgehammer. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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