corkscrew 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of corkscrewnext
as in spiral
turning around an axis like the thread of a screw an angelic child with beautiful corkscrew curls

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

corkscrew

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to pull
to draw out by force or with effort practically every word had to be corkscrewed out of the tight-lipped witness

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to curl
to follow a circular or spiral course the trail corkscrews through dense woods to the top of the steep hill

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of corkscrew
Adjective
The size and shape of antelope horns range dramatically, from the tiny spikes of duikers to the majestic corkscrew horns (more than 160 cm [63 inches] long) of the greater kudu. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Apr. 2026 The Oscar winner's hair has changed a lot over the years, from her iconic red corkscrew curls in 1983 to a long blonde mane in 2026. — John Russell, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
Visitors can descend from that room to the ground floor on a slide that corkscrews around the central stair. — Mark Lamster architecture Critic, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026 Above ground, corkscrew plants produce small green leaves and delicate flowers. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for corkscrew
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corkscrew
  1. spiral
  2. pull
  3. curl
  4. extract
  5. coil
  6. pluck
  7. wind
  8. curve
Adjective
  • Rubbery flagelliform silk reinforces the capture spiral to absorb shock.
    — Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Could the spiral flow from machine to man, from man to machine, and back again?
    — Sam Kestenbaum, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of spiral
Verb
  • Complete the look with sleek flats, kitten heels, or ankle boots in a coordinating color to pull it all together.
    — India Roby, Glamour, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Klum was inside pulling specific mechanisms to make the hand move.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of pull
Verb
  • While both sides declined to comment on the specific size of the round, which includes Canadian VC Relay Ventures, Sportico previously reported that the curling company was looking to raise up to $25 million.
    — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The man with the register looked up slowly and his lips curled outward like a bow with an unseen arrow.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of curl
Verb
  • This process initially extracts boron into a solution, which can then be concentrated for use in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
  • In a divided Congress, the party that doesn’t control the White House typically uses moments including government funding and debt-ceiling hikes to extract concessions from the majority party, a practice that can lead to brinksmanship.
    — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of extract
Verb
  • Their soft robot, called BIOSENTER, is designed to autonomously inch through the crowded, cramped, and coiled small intestine, contracting and extending its body much like an earthworm or snake.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Beneath the churning buzz of the water pump in the basement corner, a milk snake coiled unnoticed.
    — Madeline ffitch, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of coil
Verb
  • The Royals plucked manager Matt Quatraro from the Rays organization in 2022.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The Orioles plucked Jared Banner from the Cubs to be their new general manager under Mike Elias.
    — Josh Tolentino, Baltimore Sun, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of pluck
Verb
  • With tweezers, the scientists gently pulled the strand of silk from the spider’s spinnerets — the abdominal spigots that fibers emerge from — and reeled it in by winding it around a vial with a spinning motor.
    — Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 28 Oct. 2026
  • And yet, even as the lawsuit and memo wound their way through the government, the Toronto International Film Festival welcomed Being Heumann as its opening-night film.
    — Rebekah Taussig, Time, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of wind
Verb
  • No-brainer options included handsome denims with a curving leg and neo-suiting playing on mixing rather than matching sets.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Where the Duo has curved edges and a distinct D-like appearance, the Z Fold 8 is strictly rectangular with sharp edges all around.
    — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of curve

Browse Nearby Words

corks
corkscrew
corkscrewed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Corkscrew.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corkscrew. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of fulsome

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All