nail down
phrasal verb
nailed down; nailing down; nails down
1
: to make (something, such as a victory) certain to happen
They need to score another touchdown to nail down the victory.
2
: to find out or identify (something) exactly
Her doctors haven't yet been able to nail down a diagnosis.
They're trying to nail down the cause of our network problems.
3
: to make (something) definite or final
nail down a decision
Examples of nail down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The study also couldn’t nail down whether something has changed in our diets, environments, or lifestyles in recent decades to drive increasing exposure to colibactin, and thus the uptick in early-onset cancers.
—
Jamie Ducharme, Health, 24 Apr. 2025
But, even despite it all, the ICA Boston nailed down an aesthetic that Scofidio and his partners would popularize in the years to come: sleek but not too sleek, with heavy, minimalist forms that do not feel austere.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 7 Mar. 2025
As corporations begin rowing back their sustainability targets because of economic uncertainty and the mainstream intrusion of right-leaning politics, other firms are struggling to rustle up funding and nail down the commitments that can change the status quo.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 6 Mar. 2025
The Royals must still determine their fifth starter and nail down their bench.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nail down
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Jamie Ducharme, Health, 24 Apr. 2025
But, even despite it all, the ICA Boston nailed down an aesthetic that Scofidio and his partners would popularize in the years to come: sleek but not too sleek, with heavy, minimalist forms that do not feel austere.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 7 Mar. 2025
As corporations begin rowing back their sustainability targets because of economic uncertainty and the mainstream intrusion of right-leaning politics, other firms are struggling to rustle up funding and nail down the commitments that can change the status quo.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 6 Mar. 2025
The Royals must still determine their fifth starter and nail down their bench.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nail down
Cite this Entry
“Nail down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nail%20down. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
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