sledgehammer

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈslɛd͡ʒhæmɚ/ UK /ˈslɛd͡ʒhæmə/ See IPA manual

Freq #24948

Meanings

1

noun
a large, heavy hammer with a long handle, used for powerful blows in demolition or construction

Joe swung the sledgehammer against the iron wedge.
2

noun
an extremely forceful, blunt, or indiscriminate method

The blanket ban was a sledgehammer when a narrow rule would have sufficed.
3

verb
to strike, break, or attack repeatedly with great force

Workers sledgehammered the damaged wall into manageable sections.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a large, heavy hammer with... maulheavy hammer

2 noun · an extremely forceful,... blunt instrumentbrute-force measure

3 verb · to strike, break, or attack... smash pound batter

Word family

Related forms sledge hammer maul demolition

Etymology

A compound of sledge, 'a large heavy hammer,' + hammer. The verb developed from the tool noun, while the figurative sense compares an excessively forceful or indiscriminate method to a blow from the heavy implement.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# sledgehammer

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈslɛd͡ʒhæmɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈslɛd͡ʒhæmə/
**Frequency rank:** 24948

## Meanings
1. a large, heavy hammer with a long handle, used for powerful blows in demolition or construction
2. an extremely forceful, blunt, or indiscriminate method
3. to strike, break, or attack repeatedly with great force

## Examples
- Joe swung the sledgehammer against the iron wedge.
- The blanket ban was a sledgehammer when a narrow rule would have sufficed.
- Workers sledgehammered the damaged wall into manageable sections.

## Synonyms
- maul
- heavy hammer
- blunt instrument
- smash
- pound

## Related Forms
- sledge
- hammer
- maul
- demolition

## Etymology
A compound of sledge, 'a large heavy hammer,' + hammer. The verb developed from the tool noun, while the figurative sense compares an excessively forceful or indiscriminate method to a blow from the heavy implement.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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