hacksaw

noun

hack·​saw ˈhak-ˌsȯ How to pronounce hacksaw (audio)
Synonyms of hacksawnext
: a fine-tooth saw with a blade under tension in a frame that is used for cutting hard materials (such as metal)
hacksaw verb

Illustration of hacksaw

Illustration of hacksaw

Examples of hacksaw in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The first murder is a girl slicing into her slumbering mother’s neck with a hacksaw; then her brother pounds his father’s face in with a baseball bat. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026 Another vintage bit, which MTV also declined to air, involves Knoxville, dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit and shackled in handcuffs, entering a hardware store and asking for a hacksaw. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026 Start with a small hacksaw, which can get into tough spots that larger handsaws can’t. — Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026 The Nomade’s movement was skeletonized entirely by hand using a hacksaw. — Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 20 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hacksaw

Word History

First Known Use

1638, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hacksaw was in 1638

Rhymes for hacksaw

See All Rhymes for hacksaw

Browse Nearby Words

hack off
hacksaw
hackster
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hacksaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hacksaw. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hacksaw

noun
hack·​saw ˈhak-ˌsȯ How to pronounce hacksaw (audio)
: a saw used for cutting hard materials (as metal) that consists of a frame holding a blade with small teeth
hacksaw verb

More from Merriam-Webster on hacksaw

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hacksaw

Nglish: Translation of hacksaw for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hacksaw

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