1. A wrestling hold in which an opponent's arm is bent behind their back and held firmly.
Usage: Common in professional wrestling and martial arts contexts.
2. A situation in which someone is trapped or constrained with little freedom to act.
Usage: Figurative use; informal.

Examples

• The wrestler applied a hammerlock to force his opponent to submit.
• The company found itself in a hammerlock after signing the unfavorable contract.
• She escaped the hammerlock by rolling forward and breaking the grip.
• The new regulations put small businesses in a hammerlock.
• He taught his students how to defend against a hammerlock hold.