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hammerhead
noun
ham·mer·head
ˈha-mər-ˌhed
1
: the striking part of a hammer
2
3
: any of a family (Sphyrnidae) of active voracious medium-sized sharks that have the eyes at the ends of lateral extensions of the flattened head see shark illustration
Synonyms
- airhead
- birdbrain
- blockhead
- bonehead
- bubblehead
- chowderhead
- chucklehead
- clodpoll
- clodpole
- clot [British]
- cluck
- clunk
- cretin
- cuddy [British dialect]
- cuddie
- deadhead
- dim bulb [slang]
- dimwit
- dip
- dodo
- dolt
- donkey
- doofus [slang]
- dope
- dork [slang]
- dullard
- dum-dum
- dumbbell
- dumbhead
- dummkopf
- dummy
- dunce
- dunderhead
- fathead
- gander
- golem
- goof
- goon
- half-wit
- hardhead
- idiot
- ignoramus
- imbecile
- jackass
- know-nothing
- knucklehead
- lamebrain
- loggerhead [chiefly dialect]
- loon
- lump
- lunkhead
- meathead
- mome [archaic]
- moron
- mug [chiefly British]
- mutt
- natural
- nimrod [slang]
- nincompoop
- ninny
- ninnyhammer
- nit [chiefly British]
- nitwit
- noddy
- noodle
- numskull
- numbskull
- oaf
- pinhead
- prat [British]
- ratbag [chiefly Australian]
- saphead
- schlub [slang]
- shlub
- schnook [slang]
- simpleton
- stock
- stupe
- stupid
- thickhead
- turkey
- woodenhead
- yahoo
- yo-yo
Examples of hammerhead in a Sentence
we despair of ever getting those hammerheads to buckle their seat belts without prodding
Recent Examples on the Web
Other highlights shark lovers can expect this summer are, Monster Hammerhead: Species X, a special about potential new hammerhead species, and Great White Serial Killer: Sea of Blood, a show which a village dealing with a persistent great white shark.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 30 May 2024
During the fire, firefighters cut away a 5-foot-wide section of the deck just before the hammerhead to keep flames from spreading the length of the pier.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 May 2024
The April 25 blaze reported at 3:02 p.m. quickly consumed a vacant former Ruby’s Diner building and the small Brine Box seafood kiosk that opened last year on the wider hammerhead section at the end of the pier.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2024
Virgin birth in a hammerhead shark Current Biology.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 22 Mar. 2024
No scientists had ever before charted the development of hammerhead sharks in this way.
—Gareth J. Fraser, Discover Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024
Scalloped hammerhead sharks swim near the Galapagos Islands.
—Angela Dewan, CNN, 12 Feb. 2024
Divers in the Galápagos regularly see whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, spotted eagle rays, manta rays, sun fish, and many other marine creatures that are on divers' bucket lists.
—Karen Catchpole, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2024
Or check out sea life from hammerhead sharks to indigenous tropical fish in the museum’s aquarium.
—Kathy Buccio, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hammerhead.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near hammerhead
Cite this Entry
“Hammerhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hammerhead. Accessed 15 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
hammerhead
noun
ham·mer·head
ˈham-ər-ˌhed
: any of various active sharks of medium size that have the eyes at the ends of sideward extensions of the flattened head
More from Merriam-Webster on hammerhead
Nglish: Translation of hammerhead for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hammerhead
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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