# hammer into

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hammer-into
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to repeat an idea or piece of information many times so that someone remembers it or understands it.

For teachers: to instill knowledge or a specific concept through persistent, forceful repetition; often implies a lack of subtlety or a resistant learner.

## Examples

- The teacher had to hammer the rules into the students.
- My parents tried to hammer the importance of saving money into me from a very young age.
- The campaign manager spent months trying to hammer the core message into the minds of the voters through constant television advertisements.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He hammered into me the facts." but "He hammered the facts into me." — the information being taught usually comes between the verb and the prepositional phrase.

## Usage notes

- usually takes a person or a person's mind as the indirect object, preceded by 'into'.
- Teaching tip: the physical metaphor of using a hammer to drive a nail helps students visualize the forceful and repetitive nature of the action.

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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.