pliers

British  

/ ˈplaɪəz /

plural noun

1. a gripping tool consisting of two hinged arms with usually serrated jaws that close on the workpiece

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Etymology

Origin of pliers

C16: from _ply ¹

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Explanation

A pair of pliers is a tool that you can use to twist metal or to grip a tiny object. Jewelry makers often use small, narrow pliers to bend thin pieces of wire. There are many different types of pliers that do various jobs, from large, wrench-like pliers that plumbers use on pipes to tiny "needle-nose pliers" that electricians can fit into narrow spaces and grip small wires. Why pliers always come in "pairs" like jeans, eyeglasses, and scissors is a bit of a mystery. The word stems from the verb ply, "work with" or "use."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pliers

The sound of pliers clicking filled a workshop in eastern China's Hangzhou as a group of women practised stripping wires, their female instructor moving around the classroom to offer advice.

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

“Are they scrappy? Yes. Are they all working in bombed-out buildings with pliers found on the side of the road? No,” said Justin Zeefe, a founding partner at Los Angeles- and Kyiv-based Green Flag Ventures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2025

Conservative MP Steve Brine said hearing about someone in "such pain and distress" that they used pliers to pull out their teeth "demonstrates the crisis in NHS dental services".

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2023

Keep a box with these essential basics: a tape measure, claw hammer, utility knife, level, crescent wrenches, hex keys, a handsaw, pliers, multiple screwdrivers and a collection of screws and nails.

From Seattle Times ● May 29, 2023

Angrily growling, “1 don’t know why we came—” Bloom tumbled out with a screwdriver and a pair of pliers to fix the wipers.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

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