What does unscrewed mean?
“Unscrewed” literally means not fastened by a screw, or having had a screw loosened or removed. It is also widely used as an informal adjective for something that has fallen into disorder, malfunctioned, or become impossible to manage. In this figurative sense, a schedule may be described as unscrewed, as may an organization, system, or complicated situation. The expression often conveys a stronger idea than being merely untidy or inconvenient: it suggests widespread confusion or a breakdown of connections between the parts. As a verb, “unscrewed” is the past tense and past participle of “unscrew,” as in “she unscrewed the top of the bottle.” The word is formed from “un-,” meaning not or the reversal of an action, and “screw,” the fastening device. Its literal and figurative uses are both readily understood, although the figurative sense belongs mainly to informal speech.
Informally, in a state of disorder, confusion, or serious difficulty; badly malfunctioning or falling apart. Literally, not fastened or secured by a screw.
"The old filing system was entirely unscrewed by the time the new manager took over."
The figurative use is informal and especially common in speech.
The past tense and past participle of unscrew: to loosen or remove by turning a screw.
"She unscrewed the cover and carefully lifted it off."
This is the standard past-tense and participle form of the verb “unscrew.”
When a plan comes apart, it does not merely go wrong—it becomes completely unscrewed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unscrewed come from?
The word is an English formation built from the prefix “un-” and the verb “screw,” with “-ed” marking the past tense and participle. The prefix “un-” here can indicate either removing a fastening or reversing the action of screwing something into place. The figurative sense developed by extending the idea of a screwed-fast fastening to systems, plans, and arrangements that have come apart.
How unscrewed is actually used
The figurative sense is informal and often suggests that a system, plan, or arrangement has fallen apart or become chaotic. It is less appropriate in formal writing, where a more precise term is usually preferable.
Easily confused with unscrewed
Unscrew is the base verb meaning to loosen or remove a screw, while unscrewed is its past-tense, past-participle, and adjective form.