hammer
noun
a tool consisting of a solid head, usually of metal, set crosswise on a handle, used for beating metals, driving nails, etc.
hammer
1 American
[ham-er]
/ ˈhæm ər /
noun
-
hammers
plural
-
a tool consisting of a solid head, usually of metal, set crosswise on a handle, used for beating metals, driving nails, etc.
-
any of various instruments or devices resembling this in form, action, or use, as a gavel, a mallet for playing the xylophone, or a lever that strikes the bell in a doorbell.
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Firearms. the part of a lock that by its fall or action causes the discharge, as by exploding the percussion cap or striking the primer or firing pin; the cock.
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one of the padded levers by which the strings of a piano are struck.
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Track. a metal ball, usually weighing 16 pounds (7.3 kilograms), attached to a steel wire at the end of which is a grip, for throwing for distance in the hammer throw.
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Anatomy. the malleus.
verb (used with object)
-
hammers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
hammered,
past participle, past
-
hammering
present participle
-
to beat or drive (a nail, peg, etc.) with a hammer.
-
to fasten by using hammer and nails; nail (often followed by down, up, etc.).
We spent the day hammering up announcements on fences and trees.
-
to assemble or build with a hammer and nails (often followed bytogether ).
He hammered together a small crate.
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to shape or ornament (metal or a metal object) by controlled and repeated blows of a hammer; beat out.
to hammer brass; to hammer a brass bowl.
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to form, construct, or make with or as if with a hammer; build by repeated, vigorous, or strenuous effort (often followed by out ortogether ).
to hammer out an agreement; to hammer together a plot.
-
to produce with or by force (often followed byout ).
to hammer out a tune on the piano; to hammer a home run.
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to pound or hit forcefully.
to hammer someone in the jaw.
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to settle (a strong disagreement, argument, etc.); bring to an end, as by strenuous or repeated effort (usually followed byout ).
They hammered out their differences over a glass of beer.
- Synonyms:
- work out, thrash out, solve, resolve
-
to present (points in an argument, an idea, etc.) forcefully or compellingly; state strongly, aggressively, and effectively (often followed byhome ).
-
to impress (something) as if by hammer blows.
You'll have to hammer the rules into his head.
-
British.
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(in the London stock exchange) to dismiss (a person) from membership because of default.
-
to depress the price of (a stock).
-
verb (used without object)
-
hammers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
hammered,
past participle, past
-
hammering
present participle
-
to strike blows with or as if with a hammer.
-
to make persistent or laborious attempts to finish or perfect something (sometimes followed byaway ).
He hammered away at his speech for days.
-
to reiterate; emphasize by repetition (often followed byaway ).
The teacher hammered away at the multiplication tables.
idioms
Hammer
2
American
[ham-er]
/ ˈhæm ər /
noun
hammer
British
/ ˈhæmə /
noun
-
a hand tool consisting of a heavy usually steel head held transversely on the end of a handle, used for driving in nails, beating metal, etc
-
any tool or device with a similar function, such as the moving part of a door knocker, the striking head on a bell, etc
-
a power-driven striking tool, esp one used in forging. A pneumatic hammer delivers a repeated blow from a pneumatic ram, a drop hammer uses the energy of a falling weight
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a part of a gunlock that rotates about a fulcrum to strike the primer or percussion cap, either directly or via a firing pin
-
athletics
-
a heavy metal ball attached to a flexible wire: thrown in competitions
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the event or sport of throwing the hammer
-
-
an auctioneer's gavel
-
a device on a piano that is made to strike a string or group of strings causing them to vibrate
-
anatomy the nontechnical name for malleus
-
curling the last stone thrown in an end
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to be offered for sale by an auctioneer
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with great effort or energy
fighting hammer and tongs
-
slang
-
persistently demanding and critical of someone
-
in hot pursuit of someone
-
verb
-
to strike or beat (a nail, wood, etc) with or as if with a hammer
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(tr) to shape or fashion with or as if with a hammer
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(tr; foll by in or into) to impress or force (facts, ideas, etc) into (someone) through constant repetition
-
(intr) to feel or sound like hammering
his pulse was hammering
-
to work at constantly
-
(tr)
-
to question in a relentless manner
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to criticize severely
-
-
informal to inflict a defeat on
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slang (tr) to beat, punish, or chastise
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(tr) stock exchange
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to announce the default of (a member)
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to cause prices of (securities, the market, etc) to fall by bearish selling
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hammer
More Idioms
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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hammerernoun
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underhammernoun
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outhammerverb (used with object)
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rehammerverb (used with object)
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hammer-likeadjective
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hammerableadjective
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hammerlikeadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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hammersimple
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hammerssimple
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have hammeredperfect
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has hammeredperfect
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am hammeringprogressive
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are hammeringprogressive
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is hammeringprogressive
-
have been hammeringperfect progressive
-
has been hammeringperfect progressive
Past
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hammeredsimple
-
had hammeredperfect
-
was hammeringprogressive
-
were hammeringprogressive
-
had been hammeringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of hammer
First recorded before 1000; Middle English hamer, Old English hamor; cognate with German Hammer “hammer,” Old Norse hamarr “hammer, crag”; originally, a stone weapon; probably akin to Russian kámen' “stone”
Explanation
A hammer is a tool you can use to drive nails into wood or other materials. You'll find a hammer in just about any toolbox, since it's useful for hanging pictures, making repairs, or breaking things apart. When you hit a nail again and again with a hammer, you hammer it. Other kinds of hammers include the part of a gun that swings forcefully when the trigger is pulled; the padded striker in a piano that hits a string when a note is played; and a Marvel Comics supervillain whose partner in crime is named Anvil. There's also the hammerhead shark, named for the odd, hammer-like shape of its head.
Vocabulary lists containing hammer
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Despite months of talks between Sramek’s team, Mashburn and state lawmakers, trying to hammer out a better one, Saronic said in June it had picked Texas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
He was a hammer meeting a nail, traveling to the run down parts of towns all over America to shore things up — to entertain rather than win over audiences.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
The initial phase of contract talks still would have union and county representatives seeking to hammer out a mutually beneficial deal, with a presumption that both sides would negotiate in good faith.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Michael celebrated the ruling on X, writing: "The hammer of justice has smashed Anthropic arguments."
From Barron's ● Sep. 25, 2026
I asked, worried that Mr. Drysdale might still slip away, only to hammer again.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
He does this by making short videos for YouTuber and podcaster Caleb Hammer, who is best known for hosting a show called Financial Audit, which analyses the personal finances of his guests.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
Hammer board chair Eric Esrailian recalled that Ryan immediately focused on the safety of the staff and museum community.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
She said conversations have begun about creating — or formally naming — a Westside Arts District anchored by the Hammer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
Athena and Hammer from the Gladiators TV show sent off over 2,000 young runners in the AJ Bell Junior and Mini Great Scottish Run on Glasgow Green.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
The boys hurry to the Hammer Deich station and report their findings.
From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Recovery is well underway, with the sounds of hammers, saws and nail guns ringing through the air.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
The rhythmic clanging of hammers on bronze echoes through the Istanbul workshop where three craftsmen are landing blows with astonishing precision to transform featureless metal discs into highly prized handcrafted cymbals.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
“You think you’re going to go there and the hammers and the screwdrivers will still be hanging on the wall?” he asked her.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The other reason was we were hammers and so we saw everything as a nail.
From Slate ● Mar. 30, 2026
My heart hammers in my chest and I stare as vacantly as possible ahead of me, focusing on the rhythm of my feet.
From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth
“His anthem, his law, hammered, hammered, into me.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
It was on pace for its largest percent decrease since April 2025 when tariff chaos hammered banks, and it has now lost 20% since its high in August.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
Even though “housing demand is being hammered, housing supply is also weak,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
India's men hammered Sri Lanka by 124 runs after Pakistan beat Bangladesh by six wickets in the semi-finals.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
The drops of water hammered down on them, like a shower on at full force.
From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt
The two sides spent months hammering out the details.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
England won only two of McCullum's final 10 Tests in charge, including the hammering in Australia.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
After punching out the raised bell and cutting it to size, what looks like the now recognisable cymbal must undergo the all-important hammering process.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
The thud of a hammering Hulksmash rattles our seats; later, a cocked rifle is so crisp we perk up like a dog hearing the mailman.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
He does this big dramatic pause while hammering down on one button so Luigi keeps shooting green fireballs at Zelda.
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
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