Phrasal verb
hammer away at
Definition
phrasal verb. to work very hard and for a long time on a difficult task or problem.
phrasal verb. to work persistently and vigorously at a task; implies repetitive effort or sustained focus on a specific challenge.
Examples
“He continues to hammer away at his new novel every morning.”
“The scientists have been hammering away at the data for weeks to find a solution.”
“Despite the initial setbacks, the legal team spent months hammering away at the complex details of the merger until a deal was reached.”
Examples
simple
“He continues to hammer away at his new novel every morning.”
contextual
“The scientists have been hammering away at the data for weeks to find a solution.”
complex
“Despite the initial setbacks, the legal team spent months hammering away at the complex details of the merger until a deal was reached.”
Usage
usually followed by a noun or a gerund representing a project, problem, or goal.
Teaching tip
the metaphor comes from a blacksmith or carpenter hitting an object repeatedly to shape it; use this image to help students remember the 'persistent effort' aspect.
Pitfall
She is hammering at away the problem.
She is hammering away at the problem.
the particles 'away' and 'at' must stay together in this order before the object.
Phrasal verb
Particles
away at
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
hammer + away + at + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/hammer-away-at