hammer
noun
a tool consisting of a solid head, usually of metal, set crosswise on a handle, used for beating metals, driving nails, etc.
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hammer
1 American
[ham-er]
/ ˈhæm ər /
noun
-
hammers
plural
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a tool consisting of a solid head, usually of metal, set crosswise on a handle, used for beating metals, driving nails, etc.
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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)
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hammers,
present (3rd person singular)
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hammered,
past participle, past
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hammering
present participle
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to beat or drive (a nail, peg, etc.) with a hammer.
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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.
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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.
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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
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to present (points in an argument, an idea, etc.) forcefully or compellingly; state strongly, aggressively, and effectively (often followed byhome ).
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to impress (something) as if by hammer blows.
You'll have to hammer the rules into his head.
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British.
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(in the London stock exchange) to dismiss (a person) from membership because of default.
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to depress the price of (a stock).
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verb (used without object)
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hammers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
hammered,
past participle, past
-
hammering
present participle
-
to strike blows with or as if with a hammer.
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to make persistent or laborious attempts to finish or perfect something (sometimes followed byaway ).
He hammered away at his speech for days.
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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
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any tool or device with a similar function, such as the moving part of a door knocker, the striking head on a bell, etc
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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
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athletics
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a heavy metal ball attached to a flexible wire: thrown in competitions
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the event or sport of throwing the hammer
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an auctioneer's gavel
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a device on a piano that is made to strike a string or group of strings causing them to vibrate
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anatomy the nontechnical name for malleus
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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
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slang
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persistently demanding and critical of someone
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in hot pursuit of someone
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verb
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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
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(intr) to feel or sound like hammering
his pulse was hammering
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to work at constantly
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(tr)
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to question in a relentless manner
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to criticize severely
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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
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have been hammeringperfect progressive
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has been hammeringperfect progressive
Past
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hammeredsimple
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had hammeredperfect
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was hammeringprogressive
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were hammeringprogressive
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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:
The facade of the building betrays no affiliation—neither hammer nor sickle.
From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2026
The property is due to go under the hammer on 28 September.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
He said Canada and the EU intend to hammer out their future relationship at a summit next month in Montreal.
From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026
Still, it’s a little stunning how hard the NBA has swung the hammer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
With this stake came a heavy hammer, such as in households is used in the coal-cellar for breaking the lumps.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
One memorable scene shows the wiry, personable Hammer introducing a classroom of grade-schoolers to experimental film.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
As a producer, he’s made beats for the most vaunted names of the underground, including Sweatshirt, Mike, Mach-Hommy and Armand Hammer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
Bray Film Studios, in Water Oakley, near Windsor, was previously used by the Hammer Films company.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
Citizen Vigilante, a film from German director Uwe Boll and starring actor Armie Hammer, is violent – and very schlocky – stuff.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
When he came back—yes, the Mike Hammer was just over.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
Some years later a cat keyboard emerged, featuring keys that activated hammers to which pins were attached.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 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
Friday’s broadcast ended with a literal bang, with Colbert, Daniels and White taking hammers to the talk show set and setting it ablaze.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026
The other reason was we were hammers and so we saw everything as a nail.
From Slate ● Mar. 30, 2026
We were given either four-pound hammers or fourteen-pound hammers for the larger stones.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Highflying chip and memory stocks are getting hammered, while software developers rally as AI disruption fears ease.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
Sovereign bonds that had been hammered earlier this week steadied and stocks rallied Thursday, with sentiment turning positive following comments from Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
England sealed a comfortable series win as they hammered Ireland by six wickets in a one-sided encounter in the second one-day international at Derby.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Markey, though, hammered the issues where they did diverge—including the debate over transgender rights.
From Slate ● Sep. 2, 2026
We drew up the plans on the kitchen table, then hammered the frames together and laid the keel last night.
From "Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings
Inside, I do a double-take: the men working inside are hammering together wooden coffins.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
Oil prices had plunged earlier in the week due to reports that Iran and Oman were hammering out an agreement to swiftly reopen the key energy transit channel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● 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
But Stevens more aptly fits the conventional understanding of electable, a point that her campaign is hammering home as its closing message.
From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2026
Lupita stepped forward, her heart hammering in her chest.
From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
