screw

verb

Definition of screwnext
1
as in to distort
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition screwed up his face at the taste of the medicine

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to squeeze
to rob by the use of trickery or threats managed to screw his siblings out of their share of the inheritance

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 screw Last year, Katz filmed a video of his new protégé shucking oysters, chopping wood, swinging kettlebells, and speaking directly to the camera in a muddy sweatshirt about how the oligarchy had screwed their beloved state. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026 Reinstall the vent covers—Once everything is fully dry, carefully screw the vent covers back into place. — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 6 July 2026 The breeze was screwing with the sound system, and the temperature dropped abruptly. — Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026 With Dumb Money, also directed by Gillespie, Rogen played businessman Gabe Plotkin, who got screwed in the GameStop stock drama. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for screw
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screw
  1. distort
  2. squeeze
  3. deform
  4. cheat
  5. contort
  6. pluck
  7. curl
  8. stick
Verb
  • That energy turns into heat, warping the mirror's surface by just a few nanometers, enough to distort the laser beam and reduce the observatory's overall sensitivity.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 25 July 2026
  • This disparity incentivizes hospital consolidation, inflates costs for taxpayers and beneficiaries, and distorts care delivery.
    — Richard Menger MD MPA, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of distort
Verb
  • Barbara Rainey, a Cherry resident of 76 years, said a school bus hit her cousin’s car while trying to squeeze between vehicles parked on either side.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2026
  • Tournament football isn’t generally conducive to pressing, with so many matches squeezed into such a short window, and without the cohesion that comes from club sides training together for months.
    — Michael Cox, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • By watching and analyzing how the soft fingers deformed, the AI could tell the difference between touching sand and touching the pen, estimate the pen’s location, and guide the gripper to lift it out.
    — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 20 July 2026
  • Working on his audio venture makes Jacob more narcissistic and less socially competent; the podcast deforms his understanding of what friends are for.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
Definition of deform
Verb
  • The rumors of cheating with addresses and recruiting players have run rampant, but many schools do it.
    — Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 July 2026
  • The story of a cheating husband's double life racked up more than 23 million views in its first month, reaching the top ten in 62 countries, including the US, and the number one spot in almost two dozen countries.
    — Kate Bartlett, NPR, 24 July 2026
Definition of cheat
Verb
  • Devotees of his fashions will likely disagree, seeing his pencil strokes bring to life elegant dresses and coats with flame-like lapels, or depict a crane and a contorting human with the same energetic strokes.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 21 July 2026
  • Football fandom is contorted by the internet now to put out beauty and vibe and wonder.
    — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
Definition of contort
Verb
  • The fact that celebrity landed upon him, plucking him from the obscurity of his mission to represent the burgeoning discourse on the disease, says more about the world that orbited him than his actions on the island or his own political nous.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • And their semi-final victory over England was plucked from another incredibly precarious position.
    — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of pluck
Verb
  • 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
  • The issues were printed on recycled paper, and because the house in Stromness flanked the port’s harbor, the constant wetness had slightly curled their pages.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026
Definition of curl
Verb
  • After Ospreay saved Omega, Omega stuck Ospreay with a One Winged Angel and AEW Redemption mercifully went off the air.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • The Ravens waived Diego Pavia this week, which cut down on competition for UConn’s Joe Fagnano to stick as a rookie, undrafted free agent quarterback.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2026
Definition of stick

Phrases Containing screw

Browse Nearby Words

screenwriters
screw
screw around
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Cite this Entry

“Screw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screw. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on screw

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about screw

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