hammerhead
noun
ham·mer·head
ˈha-mər-ˌhed 
1
: the striking part of a hammer
2
3
: any of a family (Sphyrnidae) of active voracious medium-sized sharks that have the eyes at the ends of lateral extensions of the flattened head see shark illustration
Synonyms
- airhead
- birdbrain
- blockhead
- bonehead
- bubblehead
- chowderhead
- chucklehead
- clodpoll
- clodpole
- clot [British]
- cluck
- clunk
- cretin
- cuddy [British dialect]
- cuddie
- deadhead
- dim bulb [slang]
- dimwit
- dip
- dodo
- dolt
- donkey
- doofus [slang]
- dope
- dork [slang]
- dullard
- dum-dum
- dumbbell
- dumbhead
- dummkopf
- dummy
- dunce
- dunderhead
- fathead
- gander
- golem
- goof
- goon
- half-wit
- hardhead
- idiot
- ignoramus
- imbecile
- jackass
- know-nothing
- knucklehead
- lamebrain
- loggerhead [chiefly dialect]
- loon
- lump
- lunkhead
- meathead
- mome [archaic]
- moron
- mug [chiefly British]
- mutt
- natural
- nimrod [slang]
- nincompoop
- ninny
- ninnyhammer
- nit [chiefly British]
- nitwit
- noddy
- noodle
- numskull
- numbskull
- oaf
- pinhead
- prat [British]
- ratbag [chiefly Australian]
- saphead
- schlub [slang]
- shlub
- schnook [slang]
- simpleton
- stock
- stupe
- stupid
- thickhead
- turkey
- woodenhead
- yahoo
- yo-yo
Examples of hammerhead in a Sentence
we despair of ever getting those hammerheads to buckle their seat belts without prodding
Recent Examples on the Web
The series consists of Formula 1 racing cars that have morphed to mirror the streamlined bodies of hammerhead sharks, a species that must continue swimming forward to survive, Highsnobiety reports.
—
Martin Lerma, Robb Report, 27 Nov. 2024
Long assumed to be man-eaters, hammerhead sharks live in Florida, but very rarely bother humans.
Sharks to watch out for in Florida (click for more):
Bull Shark
The prizefighter of the ocean: stout, surly and stubborn.
—Erik Vance, New York Times, 26 July 2024
World Wildlife Fund symbolic species adoptions ($60+) cover everything from hammerhead sharks to arctic wolves.
—Simon Hill, WIRED, 7 Dec. 2023
Tiger sharks, hammerheads, bull sharks and makos can be found swimming in the waters, according to Florida Shark Diving, a tour operator.
—Tom Howarth
follow, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hammerhead 
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Martin Lerma, Robb Report, 27 Nov. 2024
Long assumed to be man-eaters, hammerhead sharks live in Florida, but very rarely bother humans.
Sharks to watch out for in Florida (click for more):
Bull Shark
The prizefighter of the ocean: stout, surly and stubborn.
—Erik Vance, New York Times, 26 July 2024
World Wildlife Fund symbolic species adoptions ($60+) cover everything from hammerhead sharks to arctic wolves.
—Simon Hill, WIRED, 7 Dec. 2023
Tiger sharks, hammerheads, bull sharks and makos can be found swimming in the waters, according to Florida Shark Diving, a tour operator.
—Tom Howarth
follow, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hammerhead
Dictionary Entries Near hammerhead
Cite this Entry
“Hammerhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hammerhead. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hammerhead
noun
ham·mer·head
ˈham-ər-ˌhed
: any of various active sharks of medium size that have the eyes at the ends of sideward extensions of the flattened head
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