To unscrew means to remove something by turning it in the opposite direction from how it was tightened. When you unscrew the lid from a jar of peanut butter, you usually twist it counterclockwise (to the left) until it comes loose. When you unscrew a lightbulb, you turn it the same direction until you can pull it out of the socket.

Most screws and threaded objects in the world follow a common pattern: “righty tighty, lefty loosey.” This means you turn clockwise (right) to tighten and counterclockwise (left) to loosen or unscrew. This standard makes it possible to unscrew many things without instructions.

You might unscrew the cap on a water bottle, unscrew the back panel of a remote control to change the batteries, or watch a mechanic unscrew bolts from a car engine. The word works for anything that was fastened by screwing: if it twisted on, you can unscrew it to take it off. Sometimes things get stuck and won't unscrew easily, requiring extra grip, a tool, or a bit of patience to get them loose.