spanner in the works

noun

Something that disrupts smooth operation or functioning.

“The kids' involvement was unfortunately more of a spanner in the works than a helpful contribution toward Daddy's progress on the task, but he gamely pretended to be thankful anyway.”

Similar
wrench in the worksmonkey wrench in the works
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounspanner in the works (plural spanners in the works)

plural spanners in the works

  1. UKidiomaticSomething that disrupts smooth operation or functioning.

    The kids' involvement was unfortunately more of a spanner in the works than a helpful contribution toward Daddy's progress on the task, but he gamely pretended to be thankful anyway.

    Synonyms: wrench in the works, monkey wrench in the works

Synonyms & antonyms

nounSomething that disrupts smooth operation or functioning.

Similar
wrench in the worksmonkey wrench in the works
Also see
monkey wrench in the workswrench in the works
Cite this entry
APA

spanner in the works. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spanner%20in%20the%20works

MLA

“spanner in the works.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spanner%20in%20the%20works. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “spanner in the works,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spanner%20in%20the%20works.

Source: spanner in the works on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.