tools 1 of 2

noun

plural of tool
1
as in devices
an article intended for use in work needed a special tool to open the case of the appliance

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in pawns
one that is or can be used to further the purposes of another a ruthless leader using his trusting followers as tools in his quest for power

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in suckers
one who is easily deceived or cheated you're just a pathetic tool of the advertising industry if you believe everything you see in TV commercials

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tools

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of tool
as in drives
to travel by a motorized vehicle I spent some time tooling around town today

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tools
Noun
The recent moves have been compared to tools the Federal Reserve has used in the past to provide liquidity to debt markets and to hold rates in check. — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026 Document tools support multi-document chats, translation, presentation creation, and PDF interactions. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2026 The first two belong to the same patent family and concern tools used to assemble digital garments from two-dimensional pattern pieces, including functions that help designers match the lengths of segments being virtually sewn together. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026 Learning from somebody like Von to be able to use those tools. — Jon MacHota, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Organizations have a narrow window to turn these same tools toward defense before that gap closes. — Ashish Bhatia, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026 That’s in line with modern baseball trends, with MLB front offices employing more sophisticated evaluation tools to monitor their ascending arms. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
Even most CEOs don’t have a full picture of which AI tools their teams are using. — Phil Portman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Liccardo asked Atkins whether the SEC has opened an investigation into the trades, and what tools the SEC has to investigate them. — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2026 There is also the chance that the AI tools misunderstood meanings or context, the researchers noted. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026 Building on the buzz surrounding Ouai, Atkin founded Mane, a hair tools brand this time, in 2023. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 27 Feb. 2026 Guests staying at the Beach Club have indulgent perks like a complimentary 15-minute ride on the adorable Sorbetto Fiat boat that tools around Lake Boca. — Angela Caraway-Carlton, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2025 Other introspective angles are explored during Mariano’s audiences with his friend the Pope (Rufin Doh Zeyenouin), a serene Black man with a head crowned by a bundle of silver dreads, who tools around the Vatican on a motorbike. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tools
  1. devices
  2. pawns
  3. suckers
  4. drives
  5. instruments
  6. victims
  7. automobiles
Noun
  • Instead, Cramer pointed to Cook's ability to sustain the iPhone's appeal and keep consumers coming back through successive generations of premium devices.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Infecting already compromised devices Research published Monday brings the threat into much clearer view.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of devices
Noun
  • Melton was a Mountain West All-Academic pick who today is an avid chess player, moving pawns on his phone or going toe-to-toe with Justin Verlander in the middle of the clubhouse.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • With no end to the war in sight, inflation on the rise, fuel rationing and continued threats of strikes, the vast majority of the Iranian population appear not to be players, but pawns.
    — Will Barker, TheWeek, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of pawns
Noun
  • Some kinds of trees, such as honey locusts, hackberries, lindens and maples, are naturally more inclined to produce suckers.
    — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The ornamental characteristics of suckers that develop from roots are inferior to the upper portion of the tree.
    — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of suckers
Verb
  • Reuse drives the design That reusable architecture could be just as important as the rocket’s lower unit cost.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The science behind rare disease drug development is changing fast, and with it, so is the financial engine that drives it all.
    — Brad Quick, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of drives
Noun
  • The instruments can move with greater flexibility than the human hand, while the system filters out natural hand tremors that could affect delicate movements.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Bands like the all-female salsa group Agua Pura and the young Los Jefes have taken up unofficial residencies in Segovia's home, using his instruments, recording booths and expertise in the industry to help shape their own sound.
    — Marissa J. Lang, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of instruments
Noun
  • Other federal agencies that were victims of computer intrusion by the platforms were the Energy Department, the Health and Human Services Department and the National Institutes of Health, according to the DOJ.
    — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The State Department issued a statement on Wednesday expressing condolences to the victims of the flooding and pledged financial support.
    — Matteo Moschella, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of victims
Verb
  • These go-tos make trains, planes, and automobiles far less stressful.
    — Luke Pyenson, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
Definition of automobiles

Browse Nearby Words

tooling
tools
toom
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Cite this Entry

“Tools.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tools. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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