hammer out

British  

verb

1. to shape or remove with or as if with a hammer

2. to form or produce (an agreement, plan, etc) after much discussion or dispute

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hammer out Idioms  

1. Work out with considerable effort, as in It took weeks of negotiations to hammer out an acceptable compromise. This usage likens intellectual effort to shaping metal with the blows of a hammer. [Mid-1700s]

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Example Sentences

But first, he needs to hammer out a common stance between the parliament's different factions, which looked set to keep haggling until the last moment.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

Usually, the National Security Council holds interagency meetings—first among midlevel experts, then with Cabinet secretaries and the president himself—to hammer out positions on various major issues.

From Slate • May 16, 2026

The traditional fix for these standoffs was a conference committee, in which both chambers appoint a group of members to represent their side, and conferees hammer out differences.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

And so Scott’s major recent step has been to hire a financial planner to help them hammer out their final retirement plans.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 10, 2026

Now I knew I’d have to go hammer out that crappy essay before Lit class.

From "Winger" by Andrew Smith

Related Words

• establish
• negotiate
• settle
• thrash out
• work out