Scissors is a noun with a few distinctclearly different from others; not the same meanings. Most often, it refers to the cutting tool with two blades joined at a pivotthe central point around which something turns or moves. It can also mean a wrestling hold or a gymnastic movement, depending on the contextthe words or situation surrounding something that affect its meaning.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈsɪzərz/
Easy pronunciation: SIZ-erz (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress falls on the first syllable.
Refers to the cutting tool with two blades joined at a pivot.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Scissors Meaning
the cutting tool with two blades joined together at a pivot
Part of speech: noun
Definition: an edge tool having two crossed pivoting blades
Example: She used scissors to cut the wrapping paper.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- pair of scissors — A direct equivalent for the tool when referring to one unit.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Scissors
Meaning 2
a wrestling move where you trap someone with your legs and squeeze
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a wrestling hold in which you wrap your legs around the opponents body or head and put your feet together and squeeze
Example: He won the match with a scissors hold around his opponent's torso
Synonyms for this meaning:
- scissor grip — Used for this wrestling sense.
- scissor hold — Used for this wrestling sense.
- scissors grip — Used for this wrestling sense.
- scissors hold — Used for this wrestling sense.
Meaning 3
a gymnastics move on the pommel horse with scissor-like leg movements
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a gymnastic exercise performed on the pommel horse when the gymnast moves his legs as the blades of scissors move
Example: The coach asked him to practice the scissors on the pommel horse.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Scissors Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- pair of scissors
wrestling hold
- scissor grip
- scissor hold
- scissors grip
- scissors hold
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse scissors the tool with the wrestling hold or the gymnastics move.
- In standard English, scissors is usually plural in form when referring to the cutting tool, even when speaking about one pair.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does scissors mean?
Scissors usually means the cutting tool with two blades joined at a pivot. It can also refer to a wrestling hold or a gymnastics move, depending on the context.
What is the definition of scissors?
The most common definition is the cutting tool made of two crossed pivoting blades. Other senses are a wrestling hold and a pommel-horse gymnastics exercise.
What are synonyms for scissors?
For the cutting tool, the closest synonym in the supplied data is pair of scissors. The wrestling sense has scissor grip, scissor hold, scissors grip, and scissors hold.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.