screen

1 of 2

noun

ˈskrēn 

1

: a protective or ornamental device (such as a movable partition) shielding an area from heat or drafts or from view

2

: something that shelters, protects, or hides: such as

a

: a growth or stand of trees, shrubs, or plants

b

: a protective formation of troops, ships, or planes

c

: something that covers or disguises the true nature (as of an activity or feeling)

his geniality is just a screen

d(1)

: a maneuver in various sports (such as basketball or ice hockey) whereby an opponent is legally impeded or the opponent's view of the play is momentarily blocked

(2)

: screen pass

3

a

: a perforated plate or cylinder or a meshed wire or cloth fabric usually mounted and used to separate coarser from finer parts

b

: a system for examining and separating into different groups

c

: a piece of apparatus designed to prevent agencies in one part from affecting other parts

an optical screen

d

: a frame holding a usually metallic netting used especially in a window or door to exclude pests (such as insects)

4

a

: a flat surface on which a picture or series of pictures is projected or reflected

b

: the surface on which the image appears in an electronic display (as in a television set, radar receiver, or computer terminal)

also : the information displayed on a computer screen at one time

5

: a glass plate ruled with crossing opaque lines through which an image is photographed in making a halftone

6

: the motion-picture medium or industry

screen

2 of 2

verb

screened; screening; screens

transitive verb

1

: to guard from injury or danger

2

a

: to give shelter or protection to with or as if with a screen

b

: to separate with or as if with a screen

also : to shield (an opponent) from a play or from view of a play

3

a

: to pass (something, such as coal, gravel, or ashes) through a screen to separate the fine part from the coarse

also : to remove by a screen

b(1)

: to examine usually methodically in order to make a separation into different groups

(2)

: to select or eliminate by a screening process

(3)

: to test or examine for the presence of something (such as a disease)

patients were screened for hepatitis

4

: to provide with a screen to keep out pests (such as insects)

5

a(1)

: to present (something, such as a movie) for viewing on a screen

(2)

: to view the presentation of (something, such as a movie)

b

: to present in a movie

intransitive verb

1

: to appear on a movie screen

2

: to provide a screen in a game or sport

screenable

ˈskrē-nə-bəl 

adjective

screener noun

Synonyms

Noun

• film
• movie
• filmmaking

Verb

• protect
• defend
• shield
• guard
• safeguard

Choose the Right Synonym for screen

hide, conceal, screen, secrete, bury mean to withhold or withdraw from sight.

hide may or may not suggest intent.

hide in the closet

a house hidden in the woods

conceal usually does imply intent and often specifically implies a refusal to divulge.

concealed the weapon

screen implies an interposing of something that prevents discovery.

a house screened by trees

secrete suggests a depositing in a place unknown to others.

secreted the amulet inside his shirt

bury implies covering up so as to hide completely.

buried the treasure

Examples of screen in a Sentence

Noun

Don't sit too close to the screen or you'll get a headache.

A pop-up ad appeared on the screen.

When I go to the movies, I like to sit close to the screen.

Verb

A committee will screen candidates for the job, but the final hiring decision will be made by Ms. Brown.

We screen the kids' music so that we can approve what they listen to.

We'll be screening his latest film in two weeks.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The display area matches the size of a human pupil and achieves a resolution beyond 25,000 pixels per inch (ppi), which is about 150 times denser than most smartphone screens. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025

Just a dark screen, as when a movie is over. —Literary Hub, 24 Oct. 2025

Verb

The recruitment firm screened over four dozen applications, and only six candidates made it to the first round of interviews. —Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025

That being said, a healthcare provider may choose to screen a person who is at a very high risk of developing bladder cancer. —Colleen Doherty, Verywell Health, 29 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English screne, from Anglo-French escren, from Middle Dutch scherm; akin to Old High German skirm shield; probably akin to Sanskrit carman skin, kṛnāti he injures — more at shear

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1611, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing screen

• big screen
• blue screen
• blue screen of death
• coromandel screen
• fire screen
• flat-screen
• green screen
• help screen
• home screen
• lock screen
• multi-screen
• off-screen
• on-screen
• on someone's radar (screen)
• pre-screen
• screen dump
• screen memory
• screen one's (telephone/phone) calls
• screen out
• screen pass
• screen presence
• screen saver
• screen test
• screen time
• silk screen
• silver screen
• small screen
• smoke screen
• split screen
• the big screen
• the silver screen
• the small screen
• touch screen
• wide-screen

Rhymes for screen

• bean
• bein
• bien
• bouin
• chine
• clean
• deen
• diene
• gene
• glean
• jean
• keen

Kids Definition

screen

1 of 2 noun

ˈskrēn 

1

: a device used to hide or protect

a window screen

2

: something that serves to shelter, protect, or conceal

a screen of fighter planes

3

: a network of wire set in a frame and used for separating different-sized parts (as of sand)

4

a

: a flat surface on which a picture or series of pictures is projected

b

: the surface on which the image appears in an electronic display (as in a television set or computer terminal)

5

: the motion-picture industry

a star of stage and screen

screen

2 of 2 verb

1

: to guard from injury or danger

2

a

: to shelter, protect, or separate with or as if with a screen

b

: to pass through a screen to separate the parts of different sizes

screen gravel

c

: to remove by or as if by a screen

screens out much harmful radiation

d

: to examine in order to separate into groups or to select or eliminate

carefully screened everyone applying for the job

3

: to provide with a screen

screen a porch

4

: to project on a screen

screen a movie

Medical Definition

screen

1 of 2 transitive verb

ˈskrēn 

: to test or examine for the presence of something (as a disease)

screen patients for prostate cancer

a test to screen donor blood for HIV and hepatitis C

—Penni Crabtree

screen

2 of 2

see intensifying screen, sunscreen, triple screen