Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

screw up

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.25 in modern English

Syllables
screw up
IPA
14
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
1
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To tighten or secure with screws.

Transitive verb

verb

To raise by turning a rotary handle.

Transitive verb

verb

To raise (rent, fees, etc.) to extortionate levels.

Transitive verb

verb

To raise or summon up.

Transitive verb

verb

To twist into a contorted state.

Transitive verb

verb

To squint.

Dated; Transitive verb

verb

To make a mess of; to ruin.

Colloquial; Transitive verb

verb

To blunder; to make a mistake.

Colloquial; Intransitive verb

Example Sentences

Usage

Inflected Forms

Synonyms

Questions

What does screw up mean?
To tighten or secure with screws.

How to pronounce screw up

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “screw up”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “screw up”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “screw up” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.