tweezers

IPA/ˈtwiːzəz/
KK[twˈizɚz]IPA/ˈtwiːzərz/

tweezers — noun

1. a handheld device with two thin metal blades that close at only one tip; you pre

1.nounB1
Definition

a handheld device with two thin metal blades that close at only one tip; you press the blades together to hold hairs or tiny objects between their ends

Example

Meera used a pair of tweezers to pluck a stray eyebrow hair that bothered her.

collocation: a pair of tweezers

Felix carefully picked the tiny glass splinter out of his finger with tweezers.

Common collocations
  • a pair of tweezers
  • pluck/remove/pick up [something] with tweezers
  • use tweezers to [do something]
  • fine/sharp/pointed tweezers
Synonyms
  • forceps

    larger medical tool used by doctors for gripping tissue or objects; tweezers are smaller and for personal or craft use

  • pincers

    larger, heavier tool with a gripping mechanism, used for woodworking or metalwork — not for fine tasks

  • pluckers

    informal term sometimes used in beauty contexts, less precise than 'tweezers'

Grammar Patterns

a pair of tweezers + singular verb

tweezers + plural verb

Usage Note

Tweezers is treated as a plural noun in English. When referring to one tool, use 'a pair of tweezers' with a singular verb (e.g. 'A pair of tweezers is in the drawer').

Common Mistakes

I need a tweezers.
I need a pair of tweezers.
'tweezers' is a plural noun; use 'a pair of' to refer to one tool.
The tweezers is too blunt.
The tweezers are too blunt.
even without 'a pair of', the verb should be plural.

Word family

  • tweeze
    verbC2
  • tweezer
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Tweezers, forceps, pincers, and pliers are all gripping tools, but they differ in size, precision, and use. Tweezers are small, handheld, and spring-loaded — ideal for plucking hairs, splinters, or handling tiny craft parts. Forceps are larger and usually made for medical or laboratory settings; they often have a locking mechanism and are used by surgeons or biologists. Pincers are heavy-duty tools with curved jaws designed for pulling nails or cutting wire. Pliers are general-purpose gripping tools with adjustable jaws, used in electrical or mechanical work. For everyday grooming or fine tasks, tweezers are the right choice; for a doctor's procedure, forceps; for carpentry, pincers or pliers.

tweezers ↗forceps ↗pincers ↗pliers ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a pair of tweezers
  • a set of tweezers
  • the tip of the tweezers

Prepositions

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

The word 'tweezers' started with the French word 'étui', meaning a small case for carrying needles or tools. English borrowed 'étui' and created 'etweezes', which was shortened to 'tweezes'. People then mistakenly thought 'tweezes' was the plural form of a singular word 'tweeze', and added '-ers' to create 'tweezers', which eventually became the standard form.

First known use

1654

1654, in the meaning defined above