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
-
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 next spring, Henry arrived at the Second Virginia Convention in mourning for his recently deceased wife but just as fiercely determined to fight for the Colonies.—
Cassandra Good,
Smithsonian Magazine,
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
-
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
-
Below are the stocks that came up in our search: While shares of Tesla , which has an RSI of around 22, advanced more than 5% midday Tuesday, on track to snap a three-day losing streak, the stock has had a rough time in recent weeks.—
Sean Conlon,
CNBC,
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
-
Welch was sent far away from Hollywood, specifically the volcanic Canary Islands.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
Fox News,
16 Mar. 2025
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Hammer-and-tongs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammer-and-tongs. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share