hit the nail on the head

H

hit the nail on the head

Meaning | Synonyms

• be accurately right about something
• find the exact answer
• do or say exactly the right thing
• to precisely describe the cause of a problem or situation

Example Sentences

1. Stephen hit the nail on the head when he said that what the company was lacking in was clear vision and focus.
2. The foreman hit the nail on the head when he said that the machine had malfunctioned because of a faulty spark plug.
3. “You’ve found the problem, Sid! You hit the nail on the head!”
4. He is a smart debugger. Every time you take a broken code to him, he will hit the nail on the head and tell you the exact problem.
5. He hit the nail on the head when he said that most people won’t change their ways and continue to blame the system for all their ills.
6. When my car didn’t start, my friend took one look and said that its due to a dead battery. Seems like he hit the nail on the head.

Origin

This phrase, quite obviously, has its roots in carpentry, however, it is not clear as to when it started being used. The analogy is simple, while hammering in a nail, you would want to hit it on its head to get the desired result. Missing the head could mean causing damage to the surface or even injury to yourself.

Head