as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
the scuffle escalated into a hammer-and-tongs fight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sharply
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hammer-and-tongs
Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 16 July 2024
The two conservative groups that brought the case were targeted by Harris in 2012-13, right around the time the IRS was going hammer and tongs after Tea Party groups.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 1 July 2021
Two teams who seem destined to slug it out in the lower reaches of the table this season going hammer and tongs at each other never makes for a good watch.
—SI.com, 18 Sep. 2019
The Reds went hammer and tongs in their efforts to find a second, though their hosts were able to hold off the onslaught until the final 10 minutes of the clash.
—SI.com, 15 Aug. 2019
With two moderate Pyrenean climbs, Thursday’s Stage 12 from Toulouse, where cassoulet and rugby are both big, wasn’t tough enough for Thomas and his rivals to go at each other hammer and tongs.
—Washington Post, 18 July 2019
The way to stand out from the others is to go hammer and tongs for the opponents’ jugulars, or to try to sound more extreme than the others.
—Jim Jones, idahostatesman, 18 May 2018
Adverb
In 1971, authors Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal went at it hammer and tongs live on late-night TV in a showdown that allegedly spilled over into violence.
—Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 16 July 2024
The two conservative groups that brought the case were targeted by Harris in 2012-13, right around the time the IRS was going hammer and tongs after Tea Party groups.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 1 July 2021
Two teams who seem destined to slug it out in the lower reaches of the table this season going hammer and tongs at each other never makes for a good watch.
—SI.com, 18 Sep. 2019
The Reds went hammer and tongs in their efforts to find a second, though their hosts were able to hold off the onslaught until the final 10 minutes of the clash.
—SI.com, 15 Aug. 2019
With two moderate Pyrenean climbs, Thursday’s Stage 12 from Toulouse, where cassoulet and rugby are both big, wasn’t tough enough for Thomas and his rivals to go at each other hammer and tongs.
—Washington Post, 18 July 2019
The way to stand out from the others is to go hammer and tongs for the opponents’ jugulars, or to try to sound more extreme than the others.
—Jim Jones, idahostatesman, 18 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hammer-and-tongs
Adjective
-
That career has been highlighted by some of the most violent fights in MMA history.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
-
While confronting their violent history, a brutal bar fight and deadly feud reignites between Thomas, Ben, and the notorious Five Points Gang.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Jones, still vigorous at seventy-two, moves through space with ferocious intent while conjuring stories from the past: early dance sensations, tense interactions with the legendary Ailey, and clashes with critics who tried to box him in as a Black artist.—
Shauna Lyon,
The New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Friction point: Community groups like the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and Franklin Park Defenders have been ferocious in opposing the revamp, questioning the cost, traffic and the loss of a public asset to a private interest.—
Mike Deehan,
Axios,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The bill has been met with both fierce opposition and staunch support from students, professors and community members across the state.—
Amanda McCard,
Hartford Courant,
8 Mar. 2025
-
With Zverev looking to cement his dominance, Alcaraz aiming for a repeat title, and Fritz eager to defend home soil, the competition will be fierce from day one.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
Adverb
-
Jane’s fiercely unforgiving tone was adopted by militant Irish nationalists for whom the famine stood as the ultimate proof of English perfidy.—
Fintan O'Toole,
The New Yorker,
10 Mar. 2025
-
In a fiercely divided country, many saw the cutbacks through their own political lens.—
Matt Sedensky,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
But the impact goes far beyond playful patriotism — Canadians are furious.—
Kaleigh Rogers,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2025
-
Mugler was furious, and the two didn’t speak for several years, eventually reconciling in the 1990s.—
Joelle Diderich,
WWD,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The turbulent decade that saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, President John F. Kennedy’s and Martin Luther King’s assassination, and the Vietnam War meant that home viewers were more open to escapism and entertainment that would whisk them away from the world's horrors.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
11 Mar. 2025
-
Outside of turbulent foreign relations, the election comes at a critical time in Hollywood as the entertainment industry faces unprecedented uncertainty due to AI and plummeting profits.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Hard water can also cause clothes to feel rough and scratchy against your skin.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Mar. 2025
-
Sony has also had a bit of a rough time with the PS5 Pro, a device which has had at least some measure of technical problems where at times, its upgrades are failing to impress or even on occasion, making some games look worse.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Buy Now on Amazon innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask Get ready for a serious detox with this volcanic clay mask straight from Jeju Island.—
Maria Correa,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Firefly touched down inside its 100-meter (330-foot) target zone in Mare Crisium near a volcanic dome named Mons Latreille, which has sat dormant for billions of years after volcanic activity ceased on the Moon.—
Tim Stevens,
Ars Technica,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hammer-and-tongs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammer-and-tongs. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share