as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
the scuffle escalated into a hammer-and-tongs fight
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sharply
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
-
The Indiana Crime Guns Task Force was signed into law in 2021 and addresses violent crime in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson and Shelby counties, according to the Indiana General Assembly’s website.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2025
-
The storm, which produced violent tornadoes, raging wildfires, and blinding dust storms, decimated homes, toppled vehicles, and left entire communities reeling from the devastation.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
After a ferocious campaign from fans, Disney+ brought the series back—initially a Netflix original from 2015 to 2018.—
H. Alan Scott,
Newsweek,
4 Mar. 2025
-
But a mysterious force is stopping their return and the time-traveling TARDIS team must face great dangers, ferocious enemies and wilder terrors than ever before.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Monday night’s fierce winds took it down, damaging the support structures in the process.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Mar. 2025
-
Gemini: The White Lotus: New England Logline: At a historic White Lotus resort nestled in the heart of coastal New England, a subtle, yet fierce, class warfare simmers beneath the surface.—
Martine Paris,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
Adverb
-
Latin American markets, notably Brazil, are fiercely contested.—
Kevin Rozario,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
-
The Broccoli family, through its company Eon, has fiercely guarded the series for decades.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite a furious rally in the last 17 minutes of the second half, the Terps (25-8) were left out of the Big Ten Tournament final for the third time, joining close calls in 2015 and 2016 when those squads were both bounced by Michigan State — 62-58 in 2015 and 64-61 in 2016.—
Edward Lee,
Baltimore Sun,
15 Mar. 2025
-
The Tigers finally got some momentum and cut the lead to two with a furious rally and had a chance to take the lead after Louisville was called for a shot clock violation.—
Ryan Morik,
Fox News,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Starting a new business is never without risk, but in the last few turbulent years of the pandemic and the ensuing turbulence, the risks have felt that much higher.—
Alison Coleman,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
-
The Rundown Trump's Looming War for a Key Trade Route Will Be Costly As President Donald Trump seeks to assert U.S. influence across the globe by implementing stiff tariffs and threatening to seize the Panama Canal, his first economically motivated hot war looms in the turbulent seas off Yemen.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The Chicago Bulls have been stepping up lately after a rough start following the Zach LaVine trade.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2025
-
Combat is fun enough – melee combat is rough but serviceable, and the gunplay is decent – and the world is filled with things to do, places to go, and people to meet (and ultimately kill).—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The wine's foundation comes from younger vines planted in red volcanic clay soils, which lend structure and allow the wine to age gracefully.—
Rachel King,
Forbes,
16 Mar. 2025
-
Welch was sent far away from Hollywood, specifically the volcanic Canary Islands.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
Fox News,
16 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hammer-and-tongs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammer-and-tongs. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.
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