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Definitions

tool

[tool] / tul /
NOUN
instrument used to shape, form, finish
Synonyms
STRONGEST
apparatus appliance device engine gadget gizmo machine means mechanism utensil weapon
STRONG
contraption contrivance implement whatchamacallit
Antonyms
STRONGEST
plaything
WEAK
toy
NOUN
person who can be manipulated by another
Synonyms
STRONG
accessory accomplice agent auxiliary chump creature dupe figurehead flunky go-between greenhorn hireling idiot intermediary jackal lackey mark messenger minion patsy pawn peon puppet stooge sucker
WEAK
easy mark stool pigeon

Usage

What are other ways to say tool? A tool is a contrivance held in and worked by the hand, for assisting the work of (especially) mechanics or skilled laborers: a carpenter's tools. An instrument is anything used in doing a certain type of work or producing a certain result, especially such as requires delicacy, accuracy, or precision: surgical or musical instruments. An implement is any tool or contrivance designed or used for a particular purpose: agricultural implements. A utensil is especially an article for domestic use: kitchen utensils. 

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On May 9, 1933, Thompson received the patent for the cross-shaped screw head and the hand tool used to drive it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

That’s what makes snow farming such a potentially vital tool for ski resorts and mountains.

From Slate • Apr. 11, 2026

Satellite imagery has become a key tool for reporters, according to investigative journalist Benjamin Strick, who has worked for CNN, the Financial Times and the BBC.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Beyond the tool adaptations, Ferreri said the farm is also shifting to "regenerative" practices, such as plowing the soil less deeply and maximizing space by rotating crops or pairing plants.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

I sneak to what was once the teen stasis room and find a metal calibration tool from the drawer below the ship’s atmospheric monitor, still glowing purple.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Vocabulary lists containing tool

"The First Day of School," Vocabulary from the short story

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"When Cultures Meet"

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The Stone Age - Middle School and High School

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