nail down
phrasal verb
nailed down; nailing down; nails down
1
: to make (something, such as a victory) certain to happen
They need to score another touchdown to nail down the victory.
2
: to find out or identify (something) exactly
Her doctors haven't yet been able to nail down a diagnosis.
They're trying to nail down the cause of our network problems.
3
: to make (something) definite or final
nail down a decision
Examples of nail down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Final Destination has nailed down a formula that other horror films should learn from.
—
David Sims, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
Indiana’s Aliyah Boston, meanwhile, nailed down 19 points, 13 boards and five blocks.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 May 2025
The city hasn't nailed down exact locations yet, but Figueroa tells Axios Denver that areas with the greatest need for shade and canopy will be prioritized.
—Alayna Alvarez, Axios, 19 May 2025
Critical parts of Metro’s Olympics plans are yet to be nailed down.
—Colleen Shalby, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nail down
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David Sims, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
Indiana’s Aliyah Boston, meanwhile, nailed down 19 points, 13 boards and five blocks.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 May 2025
The city hasn't nailed down exact locations yet, but Figueroa tells Axios Denver that areas with the greatest need for shade and canopy will be prioritized.
—Alayna Alvarez, Axios, 19 May 2025
Critical parts of Metro’s Olympics plans are yet to be nailed down.
—Colleen Shalby, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nail down
Cite this Entry
“Nail down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nail%20down. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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