Screw — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈskrü/

Meaning & Definition of Screw

Screw (noun)

  1. a simple machine of the inclined plane type consisting of a spirally grooved solid cylinder and a correspondingly grooved hollow cylinder into which it fits
  2. a nail-shaped or rod-shaped piece with a spiral groove and a slotted or recessed head designed to be inserted into material by rotating (as with a screwdriver) and used for fastening pieces of solid material together
  3. a form that resembles a screw, spiral

Screw (verb)

  1. to attach, fasten, or close by means of a screw
  2. to unite or separate by means of a screw or a twisting motion
  3. to press tightly in a device (such as a vise) operated by a screw

Screw (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition

    "screwed up his face at the taste of the medicine"

    similar: contort, deform, distort, misshape, squinch, torture, warp
    related: deface, disfigure, wrench, wrest, wring, coil, curl, loop, spiral, twine, wind, wreathe
    near: straighten, unbend, uncurl

  2. to rob by the use of trickery or threats

    "managed to screw his siblings out of their share of the inheritance"

    similar: beat, bilk, bleed, cheat, chisel, chouse, con, cozen, defraud, diddle, do, do in, euchre, fiddle, fleece, flimflam, gaff, hose (slang), hustle, mulct, nobble (British slang), pluck, ream, rip off, rook, shake down, short, shortchange, skin, skunk, squeeze, stick, stiff, sting, sucker, swindle, thimblerig, victimize, sell a bill of goods to, take for a ride, take to the cleaners
    related: extort, wrench, wrest, wring, clip, gouge, nick, overcharge, soak, exploit, milk, deceive, dupe, fool, gull, trick, rope (in), betray, bitch, double-cross, bamboozle, fast-talk

Related Entry: Screw around (verb)

Screw around is a different word from Screw. The synonyms below are for screw around, not for screw.

  1. to be sexually unfaithful

    "he hired a private detective because he thought his wife was screwing around"

    similar: cheat, philander, step out
    related: cat (around), fool around, fornicate, play (around), tomcat (around), womanize, copulate, couple, lie, make out, mate, sleep, lust

Related Entry: Screw up (verb)

Screw up is a different word from Screw. The synonyms below are for screw up, not for screw.

  1. to make a mistake

    "we all screw up from time to time, so don't sweat it"

    similar: blunder, boob (British), err, flub, fluff, foul up, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mess (up), slip up, stumble, trip, drop the ball, lay an egg
    related: nod, bobble, botch, bungle, butcher, foozle, mangle, mishandle, muff, murder, miscalculate, misconceive, miscount, miscue, misdeem, misgauge, misjudge, mistake, misconstrue, misinterpret, misunderstand

  2. to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way

    "you've totally screwed up the spreadsheet"

    similar: blow, bobble, boggle, bollix (up), boot, botch, bugger (up), bumble, bungle, butcher, dub, flub, fluff, foozle, foul up, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mangle, mess (up), muck up, muff, murder
    related: blunder, gum (up), muddle, piffle, blemish, blight, damage, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, injure, mar, mutilate, ruin, spoil, vitiate, destroy, wreck, mishandle, mismanage
    near: ameliorate, better, enhance, help, improve, meliorate, rectify, refine, reform, remedy, doctor, fix, patch, recondition, renovate, repair, revamp

Related Entry: Screwlike (adjective)

Screwlike is a different word from Screw. The synonyms below are for screwlike, not for screw.

  1. turning around an axis like the thread of a screw

    "performed a screwlike dive into the pool"

    similar: coiling, corkscrew, helical, involute, spiral, winding
    related: circular, curling, curving, swirly, twisting
    near: lineal, linear, right, straight

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Screw

The most common words with a similar meaning to Screw:

Slang: hose
British slang: nobble
contort, deform, distort, misshape, squinch, torture, warp, beat, bilk, bleed, cheat, chisel, chouse, con, cozen, defraud, diddle, do, do in, euchre, fiddle, fleece, flimflam, gaff, hustle, mulct, pluck, ream, rip off, rook, shake down, short, shortchange, skin, skunk, squeeze, stick, stiff, sting, sucker

Related Words for Screw

deface, disfigure, wrench, wrest, wring, coil, curl, loop, spiral, twine, wind, wreathe, extort, clip, gouge, nick, overcharge, soak, exploit, milk, deceive, dupe, fool, gull, trick, rope (in), betray, bitch, double-cross, bamboozle

Near Antonyms of Screw

straighten, unbend, uncurl

Word Forms of Screw

Inflections: screws, screwed, screwing

Derived words: screwlike (adjective), screwer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Screw

Middle English scrue, from Middle French escroe female screw, nut, from Medieval Latin scrofa, from Latin, sow

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Screw

Words & Phrases Containing Screw

screw around, screw eye, screw jack, screw pine, screw propeller, screw the pooch, screw thread, screw up

Frequently Asked Questions about Screw

What does "Screw" mean?

"Screw" means a simple machine of the inclined plane type consisting of a spirally grooved solid cylinder and a correspondingly grooved hollow cylinder into which it fits. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a simple machine of the inclined plane type consisting of a spirally grooved solid cylinder and a correspondingly grooved hollow cylinder into which it fits. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Screw"?

Other words for "Screw" include contort, deform, distort, misshape, squinch, torture, warp and beat. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Screw" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Screw"?

There are 79 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Screw". Common alternatives include contort, deform, distort, misshape, squinch, torture, warp, beat, bilk and bleed.

How do you use "Screw" in a sentence?

Examples of "Screw" in a sentence: "screwed up his face at the taste of the medicine"; "managed to screw his siblings out of their share of the inheritance".

Is "Screw" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Screw" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Screw" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Screw" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Screw"?

"Screw" is pronounced /ˈskrü/.

What is the origin of the word "Screw"?

"Screw" comes from Middle English scrue, from Middle French escroe female screw, nut, from Medieval Latin scrofa, from Latin, sow. First known use: 15th century.