socket wrench

noun

: a wrench usually in the form of a bar and removable socket made to fit a bolt or nut

Illustration of socket wrench

Illustration of socket wrench

Examples of socket wrench in a Sentence

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.
That may explain the appearance of Penske Auto Group, which sells and services trucks; LKQ, which distributes aftermarket repair parts, and Snap-on, which sells socket wrenches to mechanics. William Baldwin, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2024 To access the rod, use a socket wrench on the anode rod hex head located on top of the water heater or under the top plate. Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 July 2024 Replacing a defective socket or socket wrench can be a matter of bringing the broken tool to the place of purchase and receiving a replacement—often no questions asked. Sarah Halverson, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Aug. 2023 With the wheel cover off, use a socket wrench to remove the wheel bolt. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 17 Mar. 2023 After saturating the blade bolt with penetrant (shown above), place a block of wood behind the blade to keep it from turning and loosen the bolt with a socket wrench. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 17 Mar. 2023 Tighten the bolt on by hand, and finish tightening it with a socket wrench. Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 17 Mar. 2023 Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the pad, then take a long flat screwdriver or extended socket wrench to reach the stock bolt and undo it. Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 27 Feb. 2023 On Tuesday, Deputy District Attorney An Dang told a Vista Superior Court jury that Ortega armed himself with a gun, knife and socket wrench, slipped inside and killed both women, then tried to cover it up. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Dec. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of socket wrench was circa 1890

Dictionary Entries Near socket wrench

Cite this Entry

“Socket wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/socket%20wrench. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on socket wrench

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!