sledgehammer

American  

[slej-ham-er] / ˈslɛdʒˌhæm ər /

noun

sledgehammers plural

1. a large heavy hammer wielded with both hands.

---

verb (used with or without object)

sledgehammers, present (3rd person singular) sledgehammered, past participle, past sledgehammering present participle

1. to hammer, beat, or strike with or as if with a sledgehammer.

adjective

1. crudely or ruthlessly forceful; lacking all dexterity or grace.

   the artist's sledgehammer approach.

sledgehammer British  

/ ˈslɛdʒˌhæmə /

noun

1. a large heavy hammer with a long handle used with both hands for heavy work such as forging iron, breaking rocks, etc

2. (modifier) resembling the action of a sledgehammer in power, ruthlessness, etc

   a sledgehammer blow

---

verb

1. (tr) to strike (something) with or as if with a sledgehammer

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sledgehammers
  plural

Participles

• sledgehammering
  present
• sledgehammered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• sledgehammer
  simple
• sledgehammers
  simple
• have sledgehammered
  perfect
• has sledgehammered
  perfect
• am sledgehammering
  progressive
• are sledgehammering
  progressive
• is sledgehammering
  progressive
• have been sledgehammering
  perfect progressive
• has been sledgehammering
  perfect progressive

Past

• sledgehammered
  simple
• had sledgehammered
  perfect
• was sledgehammering
  progressive
• were sledgehammering
  progressive
• had been sledgehammering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will sledgehammer
  simple
• will have sledgehammered
  perfect
• will be sledgehammering
  progressive
• will have been sledgehammering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of sledgehammer

First recorded in 1485–95; sledge ² + hammer

Example Sentences

"One of them answers and says he's wounded in the stomach," he said, recounting how their father and another brother were using a pickaxe and a sledgehammer to try to break them free.

From Barron's • Jun. 27, 2026

Which is why the councillor tasked with getting houses built in the county regards the rules as "a sledgehammer to crack a nut".

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

In 1942 Fiorello La Guardia, New York City’s mayor, was photographed smashing a pinball machine with a sledgehammer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

If we encounter any ice, we have an ice pick or sledgehammer.

From Slate • Feb. 24, 2026

At least Alec had a huge sledgehammer to swing.

From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner