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
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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The carnage is truly next-level, including one infamous scene in which Joey wades through a literal pool of bloody, rotting dead bodies—all victims of Abigail's ferocious killer instincts.Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 23 Dec. 2024
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With the centrality of Ellen comes the centrality of her ailment: the film makes frequent and flashy displays of her body-racking fits, which Depp invests with ferocious, wrenching physicality.Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 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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Yet those fiercely unhappy with their surroundings can change the world, and those who change the world should not be forgotten.Cathrine Todd, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
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Nuno has built a Forest side that is fiercely difficult to break down, while looking to hurt opposition sides on the break.Paul Taylor, The Athletic, 20 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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Nissan has weathered a turbulent decade, including the 2018 arrest of former boss Carlos Ghosn, who later jumped bail and fled Japan concealed in a music equipment box.AFP, Fortune Asia, 23 Dec. 2024
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President Joe Biden, who has played a less public role in the process throughout a turbulent week, was expected to sign the measure into law Saturday.LISA MASCARO, arkansasonline.com, 21 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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For key factors, such as tenure and years of experience, companies frequently rely on rough estimates from HR.Lyssa Hansard, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
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The most common model in the United States was the highly successful iTunes Store, which allowed listeners to purchase both albums and single tracks, abiding by a rough dollar-per-song value inherited from the age of LPs and CDs.Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 23 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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São Miguel, Azores, Portugal São Miguel is a volcanic playground set adrift in the Atlantic.Alexandra Gillespie, Outside Online, 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 30 Dec. 2024.
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