tool

American  

[tool] / tul /

noun

tools plural

1. an implement, especially one held in the hand, as a hammer, saw, or file, for performing or facilitating mechanical operations.

2. any instrument of manual operation.

3. the cutting or machining part of a lathe, planer, drill, or similar machine.

4. the machine itself; a machine tool.

5. anything used as a means of accomplishing a task or purpose.

   Education is a tool for success.

6. a person manipulated by another for the latter's own ends; cat's-paw.

7. the design or ornament impressed upon the cover of a book.

8. Underworld Slang.

   1. a pistol or gun.

   2. a pickpocket.

9. Slang: Vulgar. penis.

---

verb (used with object)

tools, present (3rd person singular) tooled, past participle, past tooling present participle

1. to work or shape with a tool.

2. to work decoratively with a hand tool.

3. to ornament (the cover of a book) with a bookbinder's tool.

4. to drive (a vehicle).

   He tooled the car along the treacherous path.

5. to equip with tools or machinery.

verb (used without object)

tools, present (3rd person singular) tooled, past participle, past tooling present participle

1. to work with a tool.

2. to drive or ride in a vehicle.

   tooling along the freeway.

verb phrase

1. tool up to install machinery designed for performing a particular job.

   manufacturers tooling up for production.

tool British  

/ tuːl /

noun

1. 1. an implement, such as a hammer, saw, or spade, that is used by hand

   2. a power-driven instrument; machine tool

   3. ( in combination )

      a toolkit

2. the cutting part of such an instrument

3. 1. any of the instruments used by a bookbinder to impress a design on a book cover

   2. a design so impressed

4. anything used as a means of performing an operation or achieving an end

   he used his boss's absence as a tool for gaining influence

5. a person used to perform dishonourable or unpleasant tasks for another

6. a necessary medium for or adjunct to one's profession

   numbers are the tools of the mathematician's trade

7. slang another word for penis

8. an underworld slang word for gun

---

verb

1. to work, cut, shape, or form (something) with a tool or tools

2. (tr) to decorate (a book cover) with a bookbinder's tool

3. to furnish with tools

4. to drive (a vehicle) or (of a vehicle) to be driven, esp in a leisurely or casual style

Usage

What are other ways to say tool? The word tool usually refers to a handheld object, such as a hammer, saw, or file, that is used to perform or facilitate mechanical operations. When should you use this noun over instrument, implement, or utensil? Learn more on Thesaurus.com. 

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• multitool
  noun
• tooler
  noun
• tool-less
  adjective
• toolless
  adjective
• untooled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tools
  plural

Participles

• tooling
  present
• tooled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• tool
  simple
• tools
  simple
• have tooled
  perfect
• has tooled
  perfect
• am tooling
  progressive
• are tooling
  progressive
• is tooling
  progressive
• have been tooling
  perfect progressive
• has been tooling
  perfect progressive

Past

• tooled
  simple
• had tooled
  perfect
• was tooling
  progressive
• were tooling
  progressive
• had been tooling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will tool
  simple
• will have tooled
  perfect
• will be tooling
  progressive
• will have been tooling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of tool

First recorded before 900; Middle English (noun); Old English tōl; cognate with Old Norse tōl “tools”; akin to taw ²

Explanation

A tool is an instrument that you use to help you accomplish some task. If you are going to build a bookcase, you'll need the proper tools, like a saw, a drill, and a tape measure. A tool is also something that you use to perform the duties of a certain profession. The tools of a kindergarten teacher's trade include construction paper, glue sticks, and safety scissors. As a verb, tool can mean to drive aimlessly just for fun, the way you might tool around town in your convertible on a beautiful summer day.

Example Sentences

One of my first major purchases in college was a Craftsman Mechanics Tool Set in the gray metal toolbox with a red tray.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

Technically Depeche Mode and Tool headlined Coachella in 2006, but neither of those is the act everyone remembers from that year.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

Tool use is defined as using an external object to achieve a goal through physical interaction.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

The odds of the Fed raising interest rates in 2026 were above 20% on Tuesday, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026

He didn’t know where Tool was, but Lucky Girl was supposed to be cleaning pots for a fishhouse down on the water’s edge.

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi

Related Words

• apparatus
• appliance
• device
• engine
• gadget
• gizmo
• machine
• means
• mechanism
• utensil
• weapon