screwy

/ˈskɹuː.i/

//ˈskɹuː.i// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"screwy" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“screwy” is an uncommon English word, ranked #66,274 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#66,274
frequency rank, English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Crazy; silly; ridiculous

Key facts for screwy
PropertyValue
Headwordscrewy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈskɹuː.i/
Letters6
Frequency rank#66,274
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “screwy” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). screwy lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for screwy is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈskɹuː.i/. Corpus data places it at rank #66,274 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for screwy in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From screw + -y. 1820, original meaning “tipsy, slightly drunk”; meaning “crazy, ridiculous” first recorded 1887. The correct English form is screwy, spelled S-C-R-E-W-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Crazy; silly; ridiculous
  2. 2
    Tipsy; slightly drunk.
  3. 3
    Exacting; extortionate; close.
  4. 4
    Worthless.

Etymology

From screw + -y. 1820, original meaning “tipsy, slightly drunk”; meaning “crazy, ridiculous” first recorded 1887.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "screwy"?
"screwy" is spelled S-C-R-E-W-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈskɹuː.i/.
What does "screwy" mean?
As an adjective, "screwy" means: Crazy; silly; ridiculous
How do you pronounce "screwy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "screwy" is /ˈskɹuː.i/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "screwy"?
From screw + -y. 1820, original meaning “tipsy, slightly drunk”; meaning “crazy, ridiculous” first recorded 1887. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “screwy”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-C-R-E-W-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈskɹuː.i/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list