tooth and nail

adverb

: with every available means : all out
fight tooth and nail

Examples of tooth and nail in a Sentence

I'll fight tooth and nail to win the finals.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Biden won that area by 2.8 percentage points in 2020, and Democrats are fighting tooth and nail to keep it in their column. Mike Lillis, The Hill, 4 Nov. 2024 This season’s storyline guarantees a symphony of intrigue, betrayal, and unrelenting ambition as Madam fights tooth and nail to safeguard her empire and exact her revenge. Okla Jones, Essence, 4 Nov. 2024 How Trump and Biden differ When Donald Trump was president, Democrats fought tooth and nail to oppose and hinder any construction of an effective wall. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024 Both Harris and Trump have spent the last week of the campaign barnstorming in battleground states, fighting tooth and nail for every last undecided vote. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tooth and nail 

Word History

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tooth and nail was in 1550

Dictionary Entries Near tooth and nail

Cite this Entry

“Tooth and nail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tooth%20and%20nail. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

tooth and nail

adverb
: as hard as one can
fighting tooth and nail
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!