Word
nailing
Phoneticsnail·ing
US/ˈneɪɫɪŋ/
UK/nˈeɪlɪŋ/
Definition
v. doing something perfectly or with great success. You use this when you perform a task exactly right.
v. performing a task or achieving a goal with complete accuracy or success. Often used in the present participle form to describe an ongoing state of mastery.
Examples
“She is really nailing her new job.”
“After weeks of practice, the gymnast is finally nailing the landing on her difficult vault routine.”
“The actor is nailing the difficult accent, capturing the subtle regional vowels that even native speakers sometimes struggle to reproduce accurately on stage.”
Examples
simple
“She is really nailing her new job.”
contextual
“After weeks of practice, the gymnast is finally nailing the landing on her difficult vault routine.”
complex
“The actor is nailing the difficult accent, capturing the subtle regional vowels that even native speakers sometimes struggle to reproduce accurately on stage.”
Usage
Transitive verb; in this sense, it always requires a direct object representing the task or goal.
Pitfall
He is nailing at the exam
He is nailing the exam
In the sense of succeeding, the verb is transitive and does not take the preposition 'at'.