corkscrewing

verb

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in winding
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 corkscrewing Bystanders captured video showing the jet corkscrewing toward the ground, then disappearing behind homes before a large black plume of smoke appears. — Pete Muntean, CNN Money, 13 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corkscrewing
  1. pulling
  2. winding
  3. prying
  4. coiling
  5. yanking
  6. curling
  7. extracting
  8. curving
Verb
  • The Moon enters practical Capricorn this morning, pulling attention toward structure, responsibility, and the work that needs real support beneath it.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026
  • Brent Fannin, 38, was the first activist to discover the FWC was pulling critics’ DAVID records.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026
Definition of pulling
Verb
  • The story of McCarthy’s life was written on this winding street that snakes through a small, working-class corner of Pittsburgh where the Monongahela River bends.
    — Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 27 July 2026
  • These fuchsia French tips are wrapped in winding stems, with floral accent nails sprinkled throughout.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 27 July 2026
Definition of winding
Verb
  • Miller has entered the conversation for most dominant closer ever, and multiple contenders are interested in prying him away from a middling team.
    — The Athletic MLB Staff, New York Times, 27 July 2026
  • Not with these linen panels that Malek Barney recommends—the thicker fabric strikes that Goldilocks balance between privacy and natural light, letting sunlight gently filter through while still shielding your space from prying eyes.
    — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 22 June 2026
Definition of prying
Verb
  • Joe Kramm | Courtesy of Francis Interiors The gold background is a spread of bold graphic lines, undulating shapes and coiling circular motifs, referencing the work of French artist, sculptor and designer Jean Dunand (1877–1942).
    — R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Receiving a ball punched out of Tunisia’s area, the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder took one touch to knock it into space, before coiling his diminutive frame behind a fierce shot that fizzed and curled into the net.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 15 June 2026
Definition of coiling
Verb
  • The tentacular Scylla is seen briefly but makes an impact, yanking sailors off Odysseus’s ship in a series of loud jump scares.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 July 2026
  • Pinned beneath her rotting legs in his recliner chair, Loftis narrowly escapes by yanking its lever, catapulting the hag over his head.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of yanking
Verb
  • Sometimes acting opposite Johnny Depp can be a feet-curling experience.
    — Rance Collins, Entertainment Weekly, 27 July 2026
  • The recent action in its RSI is confirming our bullish thesis and the MACD is curling positive, nearing a buy signal.
    — Jay Woods, CNBC, 23 July 2026
Definition of curling
Verb
  • The analyst’s value has shifted from extracting data to interrogating what the system surfaces.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
  • Even better, because SM Energy is extracting minerals horizontally 7,500 feet underground, Draco will minimize oil and gas surface activity in that area.
    — Aaron Harber, Denver Post, 28 July 2026
Definition of extracting
Verb
  • Winding along Prospect’s curving paths, there’s a sense that the outside world has fallen away.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026
  • Meanwhile, each middle finger is adorned with a curving calla lily.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 27 July 2026
Definition of curving

Browse Nearby Words

corkscrewed
corkscrewing
corkscrews
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Cite this Entry

“Corkscrewing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corkscrewing. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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