nuts and bolts

noun

Synonyms of nuts and boltsnext
1
: the working parts or elements
2
: the practical workings of a machine or enterprise as opposed to theoretical considerations or speculative possibilities
nuts-and-bolts adjective

Examples of nuts and bolts in a Sentence

the nuts and bolts of the merger of the two companies have yet to be worked out
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The one on East 12th Avenue in Congress Park is my go-to, with walls jam-packed with products and a wall of screws and nails and nuts and bolts that will leave you awestruck. Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 27 Apr. 2026 Gardening for education As people increasingly left the farms in the early 1900s and became disengaged from agriculture, a gap began to emerge between the public’s perception of farming and the nuts and bolts of the practice. Shelley Mitchell, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2026 The neo-bluegrass musician took to social media Monday to post photos of himself laid up in a hospital bed, along with multiple X-rays of the nuts and bolts now holding his leg together. Chris Willman, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026 No one knows the nuts and bolts of DeLauter’s setup better than Fink, who’s studied the swing since the Guardians were surveying their draft options four years ago. Zack Meisel, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nuts and bolts

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nuts and bolts was in 1947

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Cite this Entry

“Nuts and bolts.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nuts%20and%20bolts. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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