sledgehammer

American  

[slej-ham-er] / ˈslɛdʒˌhæm ər /

noun

1. a large heavy hammer wielded with both hands.

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verb (used with or without object)

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

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verb

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

Etymology

Origin of sledgehammer

First recorded in 1485–95; sledge ² + hammer

Example Sentences

The song that closes the album "Testimony" sounds like an like enraged rendition of Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer."

From Salon • Aug. 12, 2023

Sledgehammer in hand, he would then apply his full muscle to apples, grapes, lettuce and other produce, most famously the inevitable watermelon, with audience members in front showered in food bits.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 11, 2022

After spending about a decade working in the “Call of Duty” franchise as one of the co-founders of Sledgehammer Games, Schofield started Striking Distance Studios with the intention to return to the sci-fi horror genre.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2022

Sledgehammer says the narrative will cover “the untold stories of multinational heroes that formed Task Force One, changing the face of history and setting the stage for special forces as we know it.”

From The Verge • Aug. 19, 2021

Wanda's old man is in on it, so's the Weak Sister, meaning Garth, so's a gent name of Sledgehammer Hume.

From The Short Cut by Johnson, Frank Tenney