HAMMERS Synonyms: 271 Similar and Opposite Words

hammers 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of hammer

as in draws

to shape with a hammer medieval artisans hammered brass into various bowls and trays, which they then embossed with elaborate designs

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Relevance

as in hits

to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner hammer a nail hammered the ball for a home run

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as in licks

to strike repeatedly tried hammering the door to wake them up the crops were hammered with hail

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as in scolds

to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings the critics have long been hammering the stage actress for resorting to the same mixed bag of mannerisms over and over

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hammers

2 of 2

noun

plural of hammer

as in sledgehammers

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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 hammers

Verb

Inside the execution In the minutes before Silvia’s execution, rain hammers down on the roof of Florida State Prison. — Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026 Rubén Vargas hammers it in the from the left straight into the back of the net! — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 19 June 2026 Hartthijs de Vries, the 29-year-old who has been with the team for every year of their existence, hammers the pace at the front to keep the breakaway in check. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 9 May 2026 Ambrey Taylor hammers her eighth homer of the year off Texas pitcher Citlaly Gutierrez, and the Tide are rolling. — Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 3 Apr. 2026 Investors who rushed to lend money to real estate developers in the United Arab Emirates are nursing losses as the Iran war hammers their bonds and threatens to stall a borrowing binge. — Selcuk Gokoluk, Bloomberg, 13 Mar. 2026 Using a large mallet, the magician hammers the automaton, played in the film by a real-life human actor, into smaller and smaller sizes. — G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Feb. 2026 Over and over again, Cameron hammers his favorite themes. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025 That last part proves most elusive, as the film hammers home repeatedly, though not very subtly. — NPR, 11 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hammers

Verb

Editor’s pick More picks A rare bird draws flocks of Southern California birders to this Irvine marsh to get a glimpse.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Jeff Bezos' Dolly Parton Instagram post draws criticism Bezos remembered Parton in an Instagram post alongside a throwback photo of the pair from 2022, when the Amazon founder presented her with the Bezos Courage and Civility Award.

— sameen, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of draws

Verb

That glib self-confidence is present in McNamara, who licks the doughnut glaze off his fingers before offering his hand to the female detective questioning the one living Jason.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Later, a woman protractedly licks blue ice cream from a cone, her attempts thwarted by ferocious gusts of wind and sand.

— Matilda Hague, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of licks

Verb

Some intergenerational sparring ensues, as Kevin scolds Arthur for his more outré boomer comments, and Arthur in turn sneers at his grandson’s millennial lameness.

— Jessica Kiang, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
The audience screams in response, and Scovel scolds them again but this time with a smile.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of scolds

Noun

However, according to the report, violence is increasing in museum thefts, with thieves using instruments such as dynamite, guns, and sledgehammers to gain access to treasures and deter employees from interfering.

— News Desk, Artforum, 24 Aug. 2026
Tools and tool parts, including wrenches, chainsaw blades, rakes and sledgehammers also appear, along with electronics like smartphones, television cameras, radar apparatuses, video monitors and parts for manufacturing electronics.

— Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of sledgehammers

Verb

The Librarians, which premiered at Sundance in early 2025 and broadcast on PBS in early 2026, has been years in the making, but the battle at its core still forges on.

— Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026
Training for business leaders forges a body, mind, and spirit prepared for whatever challenge comes next.

— Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026

Definition of forges

Verb

Soto, looking irritated, reaches out and slaps him upside the head.

— Sylvia Varnham O’Regan, Vanity Fair, 25 Aug. 2026
Helmut Haller, West Germany vs England, 1966 Ray Wilson misjudges his headed clearance, Haller gathers it on the edge of the box and, just before Bobby Moore can close him down, slaps a right-footed shot into the far corner.

— Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026

Definition of slaps

Verb

Part of the problem is that every summer, water pounds down on sidewalks in the Treasure Valley, drops rippling on glassy reflective surfaces, all because of sprinkler jets overshooting the grass and landing on pavement.

— Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Aug. 2026
Ukraine pounds Russia with long-range strikes At the same time, Ukraine has shifted the war onto Russian soil through long-range drone strikes on oil facilities that have caused fuel shortages across Russia.

— Volodymyr Yurchuk, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026