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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Examples 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
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After a violent campaign in which Buddhists killed a number of priests and destroyed churches, in 1909, locals built the church that Galipeau visited in Cizhong.Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 17 Dec. 2024
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Prosecutors also said that some of the violent pornography Heuermann owned included methods consistent with the injuries to Mack's body and how she was bound with ropes.Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Light winds, increasing humidity and a chance of rain are forecast to bring relief to Los Angeles on Thursday after dry and windy conditions fueled the spread of the ferocious Franklin fire in Malibu this week.Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
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Tehran, Washington, and five other world powers later inked an agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear program in 2015, despite ferocious lobbying from Israeli leaders.Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Her co-star and director Justin Baldoni, the outspoken actor highly regarded as one of the industry's fiercest defenders of women.Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 22 Dec. 2024
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Enticing notes of lemon confit, citrus blossom and a saline minerality make one yearn for the sea with subtle flavors of nectarine and chamomile tea on the palate with a fierce mineral finish and mouthwatering acidity that is impressive.Cathrine Todd, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
Adverb
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Attorney general is one of the most high-profile and highly anticipated appointments, as Trump has fiercely criticized the Justice Department for prosecuting him and is expected to drastically change its makeup—and possibly push for retribution against his opponents.Sara Dorn, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
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The Brit made several brave attempts to take the lead while Verstappen fiercely defended – actions from both drivers threatened to venture into the ‘reckless’ category.Sam Joseph, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The pair ended up shoving each other, with Ait-Nouri clearly furious before Wolves head of goalkeeping Neil Cutler and reserve goalkeeper Dan Bentley jumped between the pair and tried to shove Ait-Nouri away.Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 15 Dec. 2024
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Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather was out shopping in London this week when he and his entourage were seemingly targeted by an angry mob that, according to reports, were furious over his support for Israel.Fox News Staff, Fox News, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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These winds can cause significant damage, increase the frequency of wildfires, and make firefighting efforts more challenging, while also posing aviation hazards and creating turbulent surf conditions.Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
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The special finds Iglesias in his 27th year in comedy, reminiscing on the perils of life: from dating, to home break-ins, to turbulent plane rides.Matt Grobar, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Being a rookie who is recovering from a second ACL injury and second ACL surgery soon after recovering from the first ACL injury and surgery is a whole another level of rough.Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
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The report comes during a rough period for the retail pharmacy giant.Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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But Vanuatu is accustomed to natural disasters, including havoc wrought by cyclones and volcanic eruptions.Charlotte Graham-McLay, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
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Located in the Yasawa archipelago, a chain of about 20 volcanic islands in western Fiji, the resort is part of the idyllic South Pacific nation, home to approximately 930,000 people.Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near hammer-and-tongs
Cite this Entry
“Hammer-and-tongs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammer-and-tongs. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.
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