# nailing

/ˈneɪɫɪŋ/ (US) · /nˈeɪlɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/nailing
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

doing something perfectly or with great success. You use this when you perform a task exactly right.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He is nailing at the exam" but "He is nailing the exam" — In the sense of succeeding, the verb is transitive and does not take the preposition 'at'.

## Usage notes

- Transitive verb; in this sense, it always requires a direct object representing the task or goal.

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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.