screwdriver

American  

[skroo-drahy-ver] / ˈskruˌdraɪ vər /

noun

• screwdrivers
  plural

1. a hand tool for turning a screw, consisting of a handle attached to a long, narrow shank, usually of metal, which tapers and flattens out to a tip that fits into the slotted head of a screw.

2. a mixed drink made with vodka and orange juice.

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screwdriver British  

/ ˈskruːˌdraɪvə /

noun

1. a tool used for turning screws, usually having a handle of wood, plastic, etc, and a steel shank with a flattened square-cut tip that fits into a slot in the head of the screw

2. an alcoholic beverage consisting of orange juice and vodka

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• screwdrivers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of screwdriver

First recorded in 1770–80; screw + driver

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

screwdriver screwdrivers

A Costco customer can only buy so many mixed nuts, but a $5 screwdriver sale at Home Depot could—and often did—one day lead to a $100,000 remodel project, or several.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

This week, the 9th Circuit reversed him, finding the Korean companies intentionally reserved immobilizers as an “upsell” for American buyers, making millions of base-models easy to hot-wire with little more than a screwdriver.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

Marks that look like they were made with a screwdriver or crowbar were left behind.

From BBC ● Jan. 1, 2025

Getting any product to consumers, whether it's a can of sardines or a screwdriver, requires that supply chains function well.

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2024

I got a screwdriver from the store and took out the screw; after prying a bit, the door came open rather squeakily.

From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien

Handheld multitools are a great item to keep on hand, with many options featuring various knives, bottle openers, screwdrivers, and even scissors.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

“You think you’re going to go there and the hammers and the screwdrivers will still be hanging on the wall?” he asked her.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

"They use screwdrivers to uproot the succulents and they carry backpacks and sacks to keep the stolen plants."

From BBC ● Dec. 25, 2024

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

Brushes, screwdrivers, and spray bottles hung on small hooks along the walls.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel