hammer

11 synonyms for hammer, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A hand tool with a heavy head, used for driving nails, breaking things apart, or shaping metal.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

pound strike

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

batter bash pounding cock forge

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

mallet pummel malleus hammering

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A hand tool with a heavy head, used for driving nails, breaking things apart, or shaping metal.

“Use the claw end of the hammer to pull that bent nail out.”

mallet pound batter pummel bash strike malleus pounding hammering cock

2. verb

To strike something repeatedly, whether with an actual hammer, a fist, or figuratively with words.

“Someone was hammering on the door so loudly that the dog started barking.”

forge

How to use hammer

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

hammer a nail hammer home a point hammer the opposition

Etymology

From Old English hamor, from a Proto-Germanic word for a stone-headed tool, related to German Hammer and Dutch hamer.

Full origin of hammer →

Frequently asked questions

What does “hammer” mean?

The word “hammer” means a hand tool with a heavy head, used for driving nails, breaking things apart, or shaping metal. In plain terms, a striking tool, or to strike/defeat something repeatedly and hard.

How do you pronounce “hammer”?

“Hammer” is pronounced HA-muh (/ˈhæmɚ/ in IPA).

How do you use “hammer” in a sentence?

Here is “hammer” used in a sentence: “He grabbed a hammer and knocked the loose shelf back into place.”

What part of speech is “hammer”?

Depending on how it is used, “hammer” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “hammer” come from?

The word “hammer” comes from Old English. From Old English hamor, from a Proto-Germanic word for a stone-headed tool, related to German Hammer and Dutch hamer.

Is “hammer” a common word?

“Hammer” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

How many meanings does “hammer” have?

“Hammer” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a hand tool with a heavy head, used for driving nails, breaking things apart, or shaping metal.

What is the difference between "hammer" as a noun and as a verb?

As a noun, "hammer" is the hand tool with a heavy head used to drive nails or shape metal. As a verb, "hammer" means to strike something repeatedly, whether with the tool, a fist, or figuratively with words.

What are common phrases using "hammer"?

Everyday expressions include "hammer out" a deal, meaning to work out details through hard effort, and "go at it hammer and tongs," meaning to argue or fight energetically. Both draw on the idea of forceful, repeated striking.

Can you "hammer" someone without using a tool?

Yes. The verb "hammer" often means to hit repeatedly with a fist, or figuratively to attack or criticise strongly, as in "critics hammered the film." No actual tool is needed.

People also searched

strike pound cock bash forge batter pounding hammering malleus mallet pummel

Nearby words

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