like a ton of bricks

Very heavily, without subtlety. For example, If he doesn't like your work, he'll come down on you like a ton of bricks. This expression, often coupled with come down on (def. 1), replaced the earlier thousand of brick or hundred of brick. The allusion in all these is to the considerable weight of such a load. [Early 1900s]

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Example Sentences

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Reading her words, remorse hits like a ton of bricks.

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Ms White told the newspaper she had received the news that Mr Mitchell and Justin had died, adding: "It's like a ton of bricks just fell on me."

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Streeting said: "This bill will come down on the vaping industry like a ton of bricks to prevent a new generation of children and young people from getting hooked on nicotine."

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As his final pass fell to the turf in Salt Lake City, ending USC’s spotless start in devastating fashion, the realization hit Williams like a ton of bricks.

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“It feels clear to me that they really didn’t know how fast they were going to have to adjust. The regulators, having been burned once, are coming down like a ton of bricks.”

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like as two peas in a pod like clockwork

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