jackhammer
noun
jack·ham·mer
ˈjak-ˌha-mər 
1
: a pneumatically operated percussive rock-drilling tool usually held in the hands
2
: a device in which a tool (such as a chisel for breaking up pavements) is driven percussively by compressed air
jackhammer
verb
Examples of jackhammer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As temperatures rise around metro Detroit, so does the racket of jackhammers and bulldozers along Michigan roadways.
—
Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 9 May 2024
From Wisconsin to Mississippi, Virginia to Oklahoma, immense swarms of the somewhat creepy, red-eyed bugs will carpet trees like little 1-inch extras in a horror movie and generate ear-splitting mating sounds that have been compared to jackhammers and chainsaws.
—Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 5 May 2024
Tiny, pugnacious Keenan-Bolger plays Martha like a jackhammer, carrying the tension of her upbringing in her shoulders; Parsons fills up the space with huge looping gestures.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 2 May 2024
Officers used jackhammers and heavy-duty saws to free the protesters before making seven arrests.
—Jason Green, The Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2024
Dump trucks rumble throughout the small city, including in front of the 160-year-old City Hall, where jackhammers and excavators claw at the pavement, following plans to green the adjacent plaza with trees and benches.
—Catherine Porter, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
And by taking a jackhammer to that foundation, Garber threatened the integrity of the entire structure.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2023
The insects are known to emit a high-pitched buzz, or mating song, that can reach up to 100 decibels — roughly equivalent to a motorcycle or jackhammer.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 20 Jan. 2024
Enormous metal dumpsters overflowing with trash were parked near several sidewalks while a jackhammer rattled in the background.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2024
Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 9 May 2024
From Wisconsin to Mississippi, Virginia to Oklahoma, immense swarms of the somewhat creepy, red-eyed bugs will carpet trees like little 1-inch extras in a horror movie and generate ear-splitting mating sounds that have been compared to jackhammers and chainsaws.
—Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 5 May 2024
Tiny, pugnacious Keenan-Bolger plays Martha like a jackhammer, carrying the tension of her upbringing in her shoulders; Parsons fills up the space with huge looping gestures.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 2 May 2024
Officers used jackhammers and heavy-duty saws to free the protesters before making seven arrests.
—Jason Green, The Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2024
Dump trucks rumble throughout the small city, including in front of the 160-year-old City Hall, where jackhammers and excavators claw at the pavement, following plans to green the adjacent plaza with trees and benches.
—Catherine Porter, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
And by taking a jackhammer to that foundation, Garber threatened the integrity of the entire structure.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2023
The insects are known to emit a high-pitched buzz, or mating song, that can reach up to 100 decibels — roughly equivalent to a motorcycle or jackhammer.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 20 Jan. 2024
Enormous metal dumpsters overflowing with trash were parked near several sidewalks while a jackhammer rattled in the background.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jackhammer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Jackhammer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jackhammer. Accessed 20 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
jackhammer
noun
jack·ham·mer
ˈjak-ˌham-ər
: a tool driven by compressed air that is used for drilling or breaking up hard substances (as rock or pavement) by a repeated pounding action
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