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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
-
While keeping their relationship a secret for professional reasons, an unexpected promotion unravels their fraught romance, fueling a violent competition between the duo.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
21 Feb. 2025
-
According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, nearly three-quarters of those polled disapproved of Mr. Trump’s pardons for people convicted of violent crimes, and more than half disliked his pardons for even those convicted of nonviolent offenses.—
Meridith Kohut,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
It was destroyed in the Eaton Fire, which spread at ferocious speeds in high winds, eventually destroying more than 9,000 houses and buildings around Altadena, Calif.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
23 Jan. 2025
-
Hudson’s father, Cecil, a logger, had a ferocious temper that scared even his own parents, who lived nearby.—
Eileen Finan,
People.com,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The game between the fierce rivals was halted after 52 minutes due to fans throwing flares onto the pitch.—
Adam Crafton,
The Athletic,
25 Feb. 2025
-
After the goalless draw in one of soccer’s fiercest rivalries, the Portuguese manager was yet again outspoken in his press conference.—
Ben Church,
CNN,
25 Feb. 2025
Adverb
-
While Patel is fiercely loyal to Trump, his message Saturday was a rebuke to Musk, who has had the ear of the president since the 2024 campaign.—
Bart Jansen,
USA TODAY,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Firefly exemplifies how innovation and responsibility can coexist, even in a fiercely competitive and rapidly evolving market.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Cormack was furious, issuing a sharp rebuke, the official said.—
Brett Murphy,
ProPublica,
16 Feb. 2025
-
According to the Sheriff’s Office: Following a furious chase through Cascade, the black Toyota Tundra pickup truck headed south on Idaho 55, weaving in and around traffic while deputies kept pace behind.—
Max Silverson,
Idaho Statesman,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
His childhood was turbulent—his parents' frequent fights sometimes turned physical, with his father directing his frustrations at young Gene.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
-
The 1999 killing Syed and Lee both attended Woodlawn High School and had dated, broken up, reunited and broken up again in a relationship an appeals court described as turbulent.—
Chloe Atkins,
NBC News,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The Trump administration has expressed interest in other minerals like lithium, graphite, and titanium, but these are based on rough mineral estimates.—
Energy Innovation: Policy and Technology,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
-
While New York City as a whole is safer than most other metropolises, pockets of especially rough neighborhoods are unsafe, particularly for young men.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Weak ash emissions were ongoing and the Landsat image also captures a volcanic plume drifting away from the summit in a northeasterly direction.—
Tom Rogers,
Newsweek,
20 Feb. 2025
-
The refined tequila is crafted from single-source, 100% Blue Weber agave, harvested at peak maturity from the red volcanic highlands of Jalisco, Mexico.—
Dominique Fluker,
Essence,
19 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hammer-and-tongs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammer-and-tongs. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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