1
as in distorts
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 squeezes
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
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Recent Examples of screws
Kinto’s travel tumbler ($34) is a handsome receptacle available in a number of colors, with a lid that screws on tight and enough insulation to keep a cup of coffee warm all day long.
—
Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
Or are those simply screws Vrabel’s staff will tighten with more time and practice?
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
Or are those simply screws Vrabel’s staff will tighten with more time and practice?
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screws
Verb
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This concentration distorts markets, raises costs for families, threatens national security, and removes decisions from Texans’ hands.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
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Instant gratification distorts reality in this era of college basketball.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Any tariff shift moves shipping volumes, squeezes supply chains, and eventually nudges consumer prices — but those ripples take time to reach shelves and paychecks.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
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All this requires a lot of power, which puts a strain on the grid and squeezes local resources.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Going to space is harsh on the human body, and as a new study from our research team finds, the brain shifts upward and backward and deforms inside the skull after spaceflight.—
Rachael Seidler,
The Conversation,
11 Feb. 2026
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Conventional drones hit their limits at around 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) as their frame deforms and electronics fail.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The first layer, called the Level-1 Trigger, or L1T, harvests 100,000 events per second, and the second layer, called the High-Level Trigger, or HLT, plucks 1,000 of those events to save for later analysis.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
3 Feb. 2026
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From the metallic sheen of a beetle to the delicacy of a butterfly, Sandini described how Materia Futura plucks inspiration straight from nature.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The retrospection tortures her.—
Alexandra Rockey Fleming,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
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Later, in one of the movie's most satisfying scenes, Millie locks Andrew in the attic and tortures him by loudly smashing each plate.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Inspired by real stories, Eva Marcille portrays a wife who miraculously cheats death after her husband’s (Tyler Lepley) betrayal in Pushed Off a Plane and Survived airing on February 28.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
30 Jan. 2026
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Blashill wants the Blackhawks to be a fast-pressure team at both ends of the rink, one that attacks vertically but never cheats for offense.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Heathcliff sticks his fingers in a broken egg, Cathy watches her servants enjoying a BDSM moment in the stables while Heathcliff covers her mouth and eyes.—
Meg Walters,
Glamour,
16 Feb. 2026
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Progress sticks when compassion ensures that everyone gets heard.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At this point, you’d be forgiven for expecting a straightforward werewolf story, but Cassidy’s novel stretches and contorts into something far stranger, more audacious, and ultimately, both heartbreaking and triumphant.—
Emma Alpern,
Vulture,
2 Dec. 2025
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With an almost modern-day Charlie Chaplin-esque physicality, Moss dances, contorts, and frolics amongst the shoes, their boxes, and fixtures in the store for a mesmerizing, can't-look-away effect.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Screws.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screws. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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