Word
screwing
Phoneticsscrew·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈskɹuɪŋ/
UK/skɹˈuːɪŋ/
Definitions
01fastening with a screw
B1 · Intermediate
v. the action of turning a screw to fix something in place.
v. the act of fastening, tightening, or adjusting an object using a screw or a twisting motion.
“He spent the afternoon screwing the new shelves into the wall.”
“By carefully screwing the mounting brackets into the studs, the technician ensured the heavy display would remain secure.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02cheating or unfair treatment
C1 · Advanced Slang · Informal
v. treating someone unfairly or cheating them, especially for money.
v. exploiting, cheating, or treating someone with calculated unfairness.
“The company is screwing its workers by cutting their health benefits.”
“The contractor was accused of screwing his clients by inflating the cost of materials while providing substandard labor.”
Synonyms
03sexual intercourse
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Slang · Vulgar
n. a very rude and informal word for having sex.
n. an act of sexual intercourse.
“He made a vulgar joke about screwing that offended everyone at the table.”
“The film was criticized for its gratuitous scenes of screwing that added little to the actual plot.”
Synonyms
04making a mistake
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
v. making a serious mistake or failing at something.
v. blundering or failing significantly; typically used in the phrasal form 'screwing up'.
“I'm terrified of screwing up my driving test tomorrow.”
“The intern was worried that screwing up the coffee order would ruin his chances of a permanent job offer.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage
Transitive verb; often followed by 'over' or 'out of' when meaning to cheat.
Pitfall
He is screwing with me
He is screwing me over
To 'screw with' someone means to tease or annoy them, whereas 'screwing someone' or 'screwing someone over' means to cheat or exploit them.
Real-World Examples
“Emboldened by not screwing up the soldering too badly and now having a live display to mess with, I pressed on.” “Bloggers do get a lot of fighting power, actually; they can put a front page report about how the state is screwing them and a million people will know it.” Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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