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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
Great hammerhead sharks can reach 20 feet, but the average is closer to 13 feet and 500 pounds, Oceana reports.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 9 July 2024
Look out for hammerhead sharks, bottlenose dolphins, and playful sea lions in the sapphire waters.
—Kerry Spencer, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Dec. 2024
Meanwhile, hammerhead sharks were recently spotted off the Cape — which is becoming a regular summer occurrence here as water temps jump.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 30 July 2024
National Geographic/Nathalie Miles Next up: Edgley pitted himself against the remarkable underwater agility of a hammerhead shark.
—Ars Technica, 30 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for hammerhead
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Word History
First Known Use
1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near hammerhead
Cite this Entry
“Hammerhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hammerhead. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Kids 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
More from Merriam-Webster on hammerhead
Nglish: Translation of hammerhead for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hammerhead
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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