hammerlock

American  

[ham-er-lok] / ˈhæm ərˌlɒk /

Or hammer lock

noun

Wrestling.

1. a hold in which one arm of an opponent is twisted and forced upward behind his back.

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hammerlock British  

/ ˈhæməˌlɒk /

noun

1. a wrestling hold in which a wrestler twists his opponent's arm upwards behind his back

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Etymology

Origin of hammerlock

First recorded in 1895–1900; hammer + lock ¹

Example Sentences

CEO Lisa Su is an immensely respected tech boss who has guided AMD through a challenging period and is incrementally closing the gap on Nvidia’s hammerlock on the market for data center chips and processors.

From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026

One night recently on ABC’s “20-20,” reporter John Stossel tried to put a hammerlock on the “sport” known as pro wrestling.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 20, 2023

Some far-flung communities — Charlotte and Minneapolis, for example — have taken steps to undo the hammerlock of single-family zoning.

From Washington Post • Mar. 17, 2023

Pittsburgh’s one-sided loss to New England in playoffs still much work to be done to break New England’s hammerlock on AFC.

From Washington Times • Apr. 20, 2017

"The only thing," I told her solemnly, "that Hoiman ever got a hammerlock on was a dollar bill!"

From Hoiman and the Solar Circuit by Dewey, Gordon