ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sledgehammer

n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈsɫɛdʒˌhæmɝ// UK //slˈɛdʒhæmɐ// sledge·ham·mer

n. a heavy hammer with a flat head used for breaking things like stone or ice. It is much heavier than a regular hammer.

n. a heavy hammer with a broad, flat head, typically used for breaking stone, ice, or other hard materials.


SIMPLE

He used a sledgehammer to break the frozen lock.

CONTEXTUAL

The construction workers used a sledgehammer to remove the old concrete foundation before starting the new project.

COMPLEX

While a regular hammer might chip the surface, a sledgehammer is necessary to drive the heavy post deep enough into the frozen ground.

Synonyms
Origin

Compound of sledge + hammer.

Idioms1 entry

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