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hammering

hammering

12 2.8
A series of hard hits against something, often loud and strong
  • noun
  • /ˈhæmərɪŋ/
translation icon : martilleo
  • From inside the room, they hear the sound of loud hammering, wood splintering, and glass breaking.

Examples

  • The sound of constant hammering echoed through the neighborhood as the workers built the new house.

  • One night we heard shouting outside and a hammering on our kitchen door.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • "It's hard to have a nice tea with all the hammering going on.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • There was a sudden hammering on the door, and Belicher's complaining voice could be heard outside.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • A cacophony of drilling and hammering drowned out the rushing of the river.

    Academic text (2003)
  • I hugged Charles tightly, saying nothing until my hammering heart had settled.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Heart thudding against his chest in great hammering blows, Joshua felt himself sag a little.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Martin paused, numbed by the hammering of the typewriter keys, and read the last sentence again.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • The sound of hammering fills the air as several villagers finish building a makeshift gallows.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • She could hear the hammering of nails as the construction crew worked on the roof next door.

Synonyms

beating
vshammering
  • NSFW
276 4.2

Hitting a person many times as punishment or violence

covers the same repeated force but is not limited to persons
pounding
vshammering
72 2.9

A series of strong, repeated hits or beats

places more emphasis on extreme force and intensity
battering
vshammering
  • NSFW
18 6.5

Repeated violent hitting or strong criticism that causes harm

focuses more narrowly on forceful intensity than on attack motive
pound
vshammering
15 4.7

A heavy repeated hitting sound, like drums or rain

is especially intense and forceful rather than merely repetitive
banging
vshammering
8 5.5

A loud continuous noise that repeats and sounds forceful

is about delivering hard repeated impacts, not just noisy sounds
thrashing
vshammering
  • Offensive
6 6.7

A severe beating given to someone as punishment

is broader, applying to heavy repeated blows in any context
whacking
vshammering
  • Offensive
4 8.1

A hard hit given to someone as punishment

is less tied to punishment and more to forceful repetition
buffeting
vshammering
1 7.0

Strong repeated hitting that makes things move, often by wind or waves

is similar but highlights particularly strong intensity
hitting
vshammering
1 1.0

An act of striking something with force, often with a hand or object

involves repeated heavy blows rather than a single strike
slugging
vshammering
  • Informal
1 4.8

Hitting someone or something very hard, often with a fist

is similar but centers on many heavy blows rather than one fist hit
smacking
vshammering
1 4.6

A quick hard hit with an open hand that makes a sharp sound

relies more on sustained heavy force and intensity than sound
drubbing
vshammering
1 8.6

A severe beating given as punishment

emphasizes sheer force and intensity rather than punishment context

Antonyms

29 7.2

The end of something that is happening

8 2.7

The process of becoming softer or less firm

How Forceful

smashing
9 3.9
hammering
12 2.8
pounding
72 2.9
hitting
1 1.0
knocking
8 2.2
tapping
22 1.9

Surface Forms

hammering singular
hammerings plural

Morphology

hammering = hammer (transparent) = hammer + ing

The noun is a straightforward nominalization/gerund formed from the verb 'hammer' with '-ing', denoting the action of striking repeatedly.

Etymology

Hammering comes from the simple tool hammer, a heavy tool used 'to hit' things. So hammering means many hard, repeated hits, which is why loud rain, a heavy defeat, or constant noise can be called a 'hammering'.