screwier; screwiest
1
: very absurd, eccentric, or unusual
a screwy idea
screwy logic
screwy weather
Goldstein realized something was screwy when he went online the next day and looked at his [bank] accounts.David Lazarus
If you're like me, you're thinking, "No way. There's something screwy with that survey." It seems to defy conventional wisdom.Jeff Hawkes
2
: lacking reason or mental soundness
Human beings are a screwy bunch. We'll go to any length to fit an artificial idea of what we ought to be, even if it means confusing ourselves and everyone else in the bargain.Robert Kirby
screwiness noun

Examples of screwy in a Sentence

I knew something was screwy. the counterfeit bills are poorly done and would look screwy to even the untrained eye
Recent Examples on the Web Christopher Abbott brings another incisively screwy characterization to the story, with a glorious payoff. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Sep. 2023 People complain about opera productions — screwy stagings — but no one ever does anything about it. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 27 July 2023 This study concentrated not on the post-Covid period, which is screwy in all sorts of ways that are now receding, but on the past decade. Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 10 July 2023 Most of us only really notice when our bills get screwy. Chris Velazco, Washington Post, 21 June 2023 Nothing would be more screwy than these two hooking up. Erik Kain, Forbes, 7 May 2023 There was something about that screwy kid. Simon Rich, The New Yorker, 8 July 2021 Previous studies, including work by Nesvorny, have suggested that the early solar system originally accommodated more giant planets than just Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, a scenario that grows more likely if all the orbits went screwy for a while. Charlie Wood, Popular Science, 8 Jan. 2021 Drugs that affect hormones have the potential to cause all kinds of screwy side effects in the body—but fortunately, there’s not much evidence that medications like birth control or antidepressants will slow you down on the track or impede your progress in the gym. Amanda MacMillan, Outside Online, 25 Apr. 2014 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'screwy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of screwy was in 1887

Dictionary Entries Near screwy

Cite this Entry

“Screwy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/screwy. Accessed 21 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

screwy

adjective
screwier; screwiest
1
: oddly different and unfamiliar
knew something was screwy
2
: crazy sense 1, insane
completely screwy people
screwiness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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