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Prepositions after verbs

'Screw on' or 'screw with'?

These combinations have completely different meanings and are used in different contexts.

Quick answer

Difference between 'screw on' and 'screw with'

Use 'screw on' for attaching something by twisting it. Use 'screw with' in informal English to mean interfere with, annoy, or joke with someone.

Please screw on the lid tightly.
Don't screw with the controls.
He screwed on the bottle cap carefully.
They were just screwing with him as a joke.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
screw on + object

Attaching something by twisting

Use 'screw on' for lids, caps, bulbs, and similar objects.

She screwed on the jar lid.
He screwed on the new light bulb.
2
screw with + person or thing

Interfering or teasing

In informal English, 'screw with' means bother, interfere with, or tease.

Don't screw with my tools.
They like to screw with each other at work.
3
screw into + surface

Fixing something into place

Use 'screw into' when attaching something to a surface or material.

He screwed the hook into the wall.
The technician screwed the panel into place.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
screw on
She screwed on the cap.
attach by twisting
screw with
Someone screwed with my files.
interfere with or tamper with
screw into
He screwed the shelf into the frame.
attach something into a surface
screw up
I screwed up the calculation.
make a mistake

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using 'screw with' in formal writing

The expression is informal and may sound rude.

✕ The report states that hackers screwed with the system. ✓ The report states that hackers interfered with the system.

Confusing attachment and interference

'Screw on' refers to fastening, not teasing or tampering.

✕ They screwed on him all afternoon. ✓ They screwed with him all afternoon.

Leaving out the object after 'screw on'

The phrase normally needs the thing being attached.

✕ Please screw on carefully. ✓ Please screw on the lid carefully.

Using 'screw with' for physical attachment

Use 'screw on' or 'screw into' for fastening objects.

✕ Screw with the cap firmly. ✓ Screw on the cap firmly.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. Please screw ___ the lid before storing the jar.
2. Someone has been screwing ___ my settings.
3. He screwed the bracket ___ the wall.

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Frequently asked questions

Is 'screw with' polite?

It is informal and can sound rude or aggressive in some situations.

What objects can take 'screw on'?

Common examples include lids, caps, bulbs, and covers.

Can 'screw on' be separated?

Yes. You can say 'screw on the cap' or 'screw the cap on'.

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