Illustration of trowel
- 1 gardener's
- 2 plasterer's
- 3 bricklayer's
trow·el
ˈtrau̇(-ə)l 
: any of various hand tools used to apply, spread, shape, or smooth loose or plastic material
also
: a scoop-shaped or flat-bladed garden tool for taking up and setting small plants
troweled or trowelled; troweling or trowelling
: to smooth, mix, or apply with or as if with a trowel
troweler
noun
Examples of trowel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
1 July 2026
Garden trowel Mulch (optional) Prepare the soil by loosening it up with a garden trowel.
—
Sj McShane,
Martha Stewart,
22 June 2026
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2026
Andrew’s bumbling nature is done no favors by the padded suits and troweled makeup that never really transform Sheen, but abet the actor’s semi-comic approach.
—
Daniel Fienberg,
The Hollywood Reporter,
19 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for trowel
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.
Noun
And the idea that the president can put a trowel there without Congress, and Congress is not acting.
—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
1 July 2026
Garden trowel Mulch (optional) Prepare the soil by loosening it up with a garden trowel.
—
Sj McShane,
Martha Stewart,
22 June 2026
Verb
It was troweled smooth as silk.
—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2026
Andrew’s bumbling nature is done no favors by the padded suits and troweled makeup that never really transform Sheen, but abet the actor’s semi-comic approach.
—
Daniel Fienberg,
The Hollywood Reporter,
19 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for trowel
Cite this Entry
“Trowel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trowel. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
trowel
1 of 2 noun
trow·el
ˈtrau̇(-ə)l
1
: a small hand tool consisting of a flat blade with a handle used for spreading and smoothing mortar or plaster
2
: a small hand tool with a curved blade used by gardeners
trowel
2 of 2 verb
troweled or trowelled; troweling or trowelling
: to smooth, mix, or apply with a trowel
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
