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Synonyms

nuts and bolts

American  

noun

  1. the essential or basic aspects.

    to learn the nuts and bolts of a new job.
nuts and bolts British  

plural noun

  1. informal the essential or practical details

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • nuts-and-bolts adjective

Etymology

Origin of nuts and bolts

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A nuts and bolts player, who has had a breakthrough.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

Also, that the nuts and bolts for the on-board camera are screwed tight.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 8, 2026

Though financial therapy is increasing in popularity, it doesn’t necessarily get down to the nuts and bolts of your finances.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2025

In turn, those qualities dictate the nuts and bolts of an actual intervention strategy.

From Science Daily • Nov. 26, 2024

Schindler knew little about the nuts and bolts of manufacturing and wasn't interested in learning.

From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.