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 warping distorts the image in the same way that wearing someone else’s glasses blurs your sight.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
25 Jan. 2026
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My biggest pet-peeve is when the comforter escapes from the duvet cover enclosures and ends up as a wadded mess that distorts the entire bedding set up.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This example of the latter skillfully squeezes a comfortable home for two into a single shipping container.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
11 Jan. 2026
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As the moon follows an elliptical path, Saturn’s gravity stretches and squeezes it.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
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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
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According to Burlison, the video shows a high-speed object—presumably the missile—hitting the orb, which then deforms, tumbles, and sheds smaller fragments, one barely visible.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Suddenly, Jeff Parker plucks a sighing six-note guitar run, dropping his shoulders into a solo section that carries the tune to its swooning conclusion.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
20 Dec. 2025
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As Natalie walks away from Shayne, possibly for good, and as Venus and some entity named Gabby lunge for each other, Katie Maloney Schwartz Maloney plucks out her earbuds, pulls her sunglasses off her cunty little bob, closes her copy of The Shards, and packs up her bag.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
17 Dec. 2025
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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Barb appears, and sticks the device in Hank’s neck, pulling out the fusion chip.—
Jack King,
Vulture,
21 Jan. 2026
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Sir Jimmy sticks a knife in Kelson, which turns out to be a mortal wound, but Spike and Kelly (Erin Kellyman) – aka Jimmy Ink – attack Sir Jimmy.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
17 Jan. 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 5 Feb. 2026.
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