adj
screwed
adj
1
(informal) In serious trouble, with little hope of escaping it.
"If the flight is cancelled, we're screwed for the meeting."
"He forgot his passport — he's screwed."
2
(informal) Drunk.
"By midnight he was thoroughly screwed."
How to Use Screwed
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishIn a hopeless or difficult situation; informally, also means drunk.
When to use it
Casual/informal — avoid in formal writing.
Common pairings
totally screwed
we're screwed
royally screwed
Word Forms
more screwed comparative, most screwed superlative
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Etymology
Grew out of "screw" meaning to apply pressure or coercion, evoking torture devices like thumbscrews — by the 1600s it meant being in an inescapable bind. The "drunk" sense followed later, linked to the phrase "a screw loose."