as in mallets
a large, heavy hammer with a long handle
broke up the concrete using a sledgehammer
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Recent Examples of sledgehammers
Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Ridglan Farms said in a press release that activists attempted to enter several buildings using sledgehammers, electric saws and crowbars.
—Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 16 Mar. 2026
Wearing hooded sweatshirts and full-face masks, the robbers ordered employees to one part of the room at gunpoint before two of them smashed the glass display cases with sledgehammers, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
—Nick Sullivan
march 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 Mar. 2026
Other sufferers, however, who submitted entries to the 1983 Migraine Art Competition, depicted their pain in drawings and paintings of nails, needles, axes, ice picks, arrows, bolts, jaws, chisels, shivs, guns, red-hot spears, sledgehammers, devils, and long pins.
—Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Investigators allege the men used sledgehammers to break the store's front door, steal almost $11,000 worth of merchandise and then use a U-Haul pickup truck to escape.
—Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
And one night, a bunch of the editors of The Dartmouth Review descended on the shantytown protests and, with sledgehammers, slammed them down.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
Officers used sledgehammers to break through and pull them free.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
Halfbacks no longer wear oversized shoulder pads that signal their utility as sledgehammers.
—Mike Sando, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Noun
Three thieves used sledgehammers to perform a smash-and-grab at a popular Sherman Oaks mall on Wednesday evening, stealing jewelry and watches before fleeing the scene, authorities said.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Ridglan Farms said in a press release that activists attempted to enter several buildings using sledgehammers, electric saws and crowbars.
—Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 16 Mar. 2026
Wearing hooded sweatshirts and full-face masks, the robbers ordered employees to one part of the room at gunpoint before two of them smashed the glass display cases with sledgehammers, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
—Nick Sullivan
march 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 Mar. 2026
Other sufferers, however, who submitted entries to the 1983 Migraine Art Competition, depicted their pain in drawings and paintings of nails, needles, axes, ice picks, arrows, bolts, jaws, chisels, shivs, guns, red-hot spears, sledgehammers, devils, and long pins.
—Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Investigators allege the men used sledgehammers to break the store's front door, steal almost $11,000 worth of merchandise and then use a U-Haul pickup truck to escape.
—Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
And one night, a bunch of the editors of The Dartmouth Review descended on the shantytown protests and, with sledgehammers, slammed them down.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
Officers used sledgehammers to break through and pull them free.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
Halfbacks no longer wear oversized shoulder pads that signal their utility as sledgehammers.
—Mike Sando, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sledgehammers
Noun
-
The video shows officers used Tasers again and struck him with batons, but Runyen in the video said both were ineffective.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Right, Rodney King was batons, Eric Garner with a chokehold.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
These are in addition to private members clubs The Wilde and Cipriani, among other highlights.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Shane Stant clubs Kerrigan on the knee and flees the scene.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This will help the remaining canes and new stems have the room to grow more easily.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Repeating this cycle helps replace older canes with new, stronger growth.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But this person who was a friend, who owes her career to me, just stabs me in the back.—
Maer Roshan,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Bautista stabs and shoots his assailants in an operatic eruption of violence that is done in a single, extended shot.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
When a dog repeatedly wags and whips its tail against hard surfaces, the tip can split open, bruise or break.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Benbrook whips Diamond Hill-Jarvis Benbrook stayed on pace for a playoff berth in District 8-4A as the Lady Bobcats thumped Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis 55-7.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Premiums are poised to rise next year as the party flails on whether to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
16 Dec. 2025
-
The 16-year-old flails her arms, thrashes and kicks — sometimes for hours.—
CalMatters,
Oc Register,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
This budget cut slashes the funds allocated to Chile’s Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
23 Mar. 2026
-
State Department slashes fee to renounce US citizenship For anyone considering a breakup with America, the fee to give up US citizenship just dropped by about 80%.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But hamate surgery often saps a hitter of power, something Lindor, Carroll and Holliday were expected to supply in 2026.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
-
An overreliance on tools weakens our civilization (and saps the film’s dramatic thrills).—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sledgehammers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sledgehammers. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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