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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That is to say that the way the current system is set up distorts the healthcare economy in ways that don’t allow for much price competition, with ever-rising insurance premiums as the result.—
Jeremy Lott,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
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First, the skull weakens and distorts sound waves.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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It also gets compressed, which squeezes the air and puts even more pressure on it, which heats it up.—
Zoe Mintz,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
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As the Iran conflict disrupts energy markets and squeezes jet-fuel supplies, there is a concern that airfares could rise in the weeks ahead.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
11 Mar. 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,
Space.com,
7 Mar. 2026
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Once a metal damper deforms to save a building, the parts must be replaced.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But if Rick later plucks something from behind that rock at the fire, are others going to start poking around looking for stuff?—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 2026
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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
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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If nothing sticks, the Dodgers are also not shy about spitting out the pitcher and designating him for assignment.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
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The ball still sticks in his hands on offense.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As a magnetar spins on its axis at nearly the speed of light, its immense magnetic field contorts, coils and twists to pump out powerful radiation.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
11 Mar. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Screws.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screws. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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