corkscrew

1 of 3

noun

cork·​screw ˈkȯrk-ˌskrü How to pronounce corkscrew (audio)
: a device for drawing corks from bottles that has a pointed spiral piece of metal turned by a handle

corkscrew

2 of 3

adjective

: resembling a corkscrew : spiral

corkscrew

3 of 3

verb

corkscrewed; corkscrewing; corkscrews

transitive verb

1
2
: to draw out with difficulty
3
: to twist into a spiral

intransitive verb

: to move in a winding course

Examples of corkscrew in a Sentence

Adjective an angelic child with beautiful corkscrew curls Verb practically every word had to be corkscrewed out of the tight-lipped witness the trail corkscrews through dense woods to the top of the steep hill
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.
Noun
During the freak-off, Ventura alleged Combs found her phone and discovered e-mails that had been shared between Ventura and Kid Cudi, prompting him to lunge at her with a corkscrew. Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025 On top of pocket knives, other sharp items that could be used as weapons, like corkscrews, Swiss Army knives, and box cutters, are not allowed through TSA. Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2025
Adjective
And though Clooney would probably be fetching wearing a hoop skirt the size of a circus tent and flouncing a thousand corkscrew curls, no. Jesse Green, New York Times, 16 May 2025 In fact, Gaia has noticed this wobbling motion for numerous stars, so Stefánsson led a team of astronomers to follow up on these corkscrew systems. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 5 Feb. 2025
Verb
Marchand scored again for a 3-1 lead five minutes into the third period with a brilliant back and forth slalom past Oilers defenseman Jake Walman that all but left Walman corkscrewed into the ice. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 15 June 2025 McIlroy corkscrewed through a front-nine 33 and a back-nine 39 and finished even par. Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for corkscrew

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1698, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1790, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1837, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of corkscrew was in 1698

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Corkscrew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corkscrew. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

corkscrew

1 of 2 noun
cork·​screw ˈkȯrk-ˌskrü How to pronounce corkscrew (audio)
: a pointed spiral tool with a handle for pulling corks from bottles

corkscrew

2 of 2 adjective
: resembling a corkscrew : spiral

More from Merriam-Webster on corkscrew

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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