# the nail that sticks out gets hammered down

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/the-nail-that-sticks-out-gets-hammered-down
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Those who are too different or conspicuous get criticized or sanctioned by others.

## Examples

- Don't be too loud, or the nail that sticks out gets hammered down.
- In this strict office, you should follow the rules because the nail that sticks out gets hammered down.
- He refused to conform to the company culture, eventually learning the hard way that the nail that sticks out gets hammered down by management.

## Origin

The expression is a calque of the Japanese 出る釘は打たれる (deru kugi wa utareru). It entered English as a direct translation of the Japanese proverb regarding the social consequences of non-conformity.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.