ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Sledgehammer

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ˈslɛd͡ʒhæmə/ · Part of speech noun

Quick meaning: Sledgehammer is a noun meaning (transitive) To strike (something) with a sledgehammer.

Meaning

(transitive) To strike (something) with a sledgehammer.

More Meanings

  1. Completely lacking grace and dexterity.
  2. A hammer that consists of a large, heavy, broad and flat block of metal (the head) attached to a handle typically 0.5 meter to 1 meter long. The sledgehammer's design is meant to allow it to be swung powerfully, and to distribute force over a wide area upon impact.

Example Sentences

Promising new treatments avoid the sledgehammer approach of traditional chemotherapy in two key ways."
These were succeeded by anchor and chain-cable forges, where sledgehammers were dinging upon iron all day long.
They take sledgehammers to statues with an uncommon gusto – destroying in seconds what may have survived centuries.
Some lawmakers were so incensed that they even invited the news media to watch the sledgehammering of the Japanese company's products on the Capitol's steps.

Word Forms

Synonyms for sledgehammer

Depending on context, synonyms include sledge, maul.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include sledge, maul, hammer, mallet, harness, weight.

Related Dictionary Tools

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.