Synonyms

unscrew

American

[uhn-skroo] / ʌnˈskru /

verb (used with object)

to draw or loosen a screw from (a hinge, bracket, etc.).
to unfasten or withdraw by turning, as a screw or lid.
to open (a jar, bottle, etc.) by turning the lid or cover.

verb (used without object)

to permit of being unscrewed.

unscrew British

/ ʌnˈskruː /

verb

(tr) to draw or remove a screw from (an object)
(tr) to loosen (a screw, lid, etc) by rotating continuously, usually in an anticlockwise direction
(intr) (esp of an engaged threaded part) to become loosened or separated

the lid wouldn't unscrew

"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

Etymology

Origin of unscrew

First recorded in 1595–1605; un- ² + screw

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.

Take a moment and unscrew the lids of the cumin and chili powder jars, sniff, and see what moves you.

From Washington Times • Oct. 26, 2023

They are also incredibly intelligent - so smart they have even been caught helping each other unscrew scientific tracking devices - and they have also been known to strike up long-term, meaningful friendships with humans.

From BBC • Sep. 28, 2023

One recent sunny day, Skoda clambered up a ladder to unscrew the blue and yellow Miri’s at Golden Gardens surfboard affixed to the south side of the building.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 19, 2023

“We found their weak spot. We found where we could unscrew the nut. It is the task of reconnaissance to find the weak spot.”

From New York Times • Nov. 1, 2022

Hollow plastic parakeets full of sweets with heads you could unscrew.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

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