trowel

1 of 2

noun

trow·​el ˈtrau̇(-ə)l 

: any of various hand tools used to apply, spread, shape, or smooth loose or plastic material

also : a scoop-shaped or flat-bladed garden tool for taking up and setting small plants

Illustration of trowel

• 1 gardener's
• 2 plasterer's
• 3 bricklayer's

trowel

2 of 2

verb

troweled or trowelled; troweling or trowelling

transitive verb

: to smooth, mix, or apply with or as if with a trowel

troweler noun

Examples of trowel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Aloe Vera Botanical Name: Aloe vera Sunlight: Bright, indirect Soil: Well-draining Using a small trowel or chopstick, gently separate the baby plants that pop up from around the base of the mother plant. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 9 May 2025

In addition to gardening, the trowel can also come in handy when camping, hiking, and hunting. —Renee Freemon Mulvihill, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Apr. 2025

Verb

Andrew’s bumbling nature is done no favors by the padded suits and troweled makeup that never really transform Sheen, but abet the actor’s semi-comic approach. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Sep. 2024

Drywall will be thinner and more uniform than plaster, which is usually troweled right up to the electrical box. —Timothy Dahl, Popular Mechanics, 21 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English truel, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin truella, from Latin trulla ladle

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1670, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

trowel

1 of 2 noun

trow·​el ˈtrau̇(-ə)l 

1

: a small hand tool consisting of a flat blade with a handle used for spreading and smoothing mortar or plaster

2

: a small hand tool with a curved blade used by gardeners

trowel

2 of 2 verb

troweled or trowelled; troweling or trowelling

: to smooth, mix, or apply with a trowel