corkscrew

1 of 3

noun

cork·​screw ˈkȯrk-ˌskrü How to pronounce corkscrew (audio)
: a device for drawing corks from bottles that has a pointed spiral piece of metal turned by a handle

corkscrew

2 of 3

adjective

: resembling a corkscrew : spiral

corkscrew

3 of 3

verb

corkscrewed; corkscrewing; corkscrews

transitive verb

1
2
: to draw out with difficulty
3
: to twist into a spiral

intransitive verb

: to move in a winding course

Examples of corkscrew in a Sentence

Adjective an angelic child with beautiful corkscrew curls Verb practically every word had to be corkscrewed out of the tight-lipped witness the trail corkscrews through dense woods to the top of the steep hill
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
But depending on the sand or soil composition, an animal may instead dig a helix, which resembles a corkscrew shape. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 24 Oct. 2024 There’s a good selection of wine for takeaway too (bring your own corkscrew). Jo Rodgers, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
The Recording In the 44-minute recording, the pilots reported seeing unidentified red, circular lights and objects moving erratically toward the ocean and returning at various altitudes, with one saying the objects moved in corkscrew patterns and at extreme speeds. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024 If your truck had a little corkscrew thing on the bottom, would that be sufficient to protect you from a tornado? Nate Jones, Vulture, 25 July 2024
Verb
With two outs and nobody on base in the sixth inning Friday, a cruising Cortes corkscrewed himself into a hesitation delivery and fired way too high to Corey Julks of the Chicago White Sox. Mike Fitzpatrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2024 Then James Cameron came aboard for Aliens and upped the velocity factor, essentially turning the 1986 sequel into a roller coaster dipping and corkscrewing on an extraterrestrial planet. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for corkscrew 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1698, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1790, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1837, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of corkscrew was in 1698

Dictionary Entries Near corkscrew

Cite this Entry

“Corkscrew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corkscrew. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

corkscrew

1 of 2 noun
cork·​screw ˈkȯrk-ˌskrü How to pronounce corkscrew (audio)
: a pointed spiral tool with a handle for pulling corks from bottles

corkscrew

2 of 2 adjective
: resembling a corkscrew : spiral

More from Merriam-Webster on corkscrew

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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