wrist

noun

ˈrist How to pronounce wrist (audio)
1
a
: the joint or the region of the joint between the human hand and the arm
b
: the part of a vertebrate animal corresponding to the human wrist
2
: the part of a garment or glove covering the wrist
see also:
break one's wrists slap on the wrist

Examples of wrist in a Sentence

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.
Sac State players and coaches appreciated the grit of quarterback Carson Conklin, who suffered a wrist injury in the first half and soldiered his way to the end, completing 25 of 46 passes for 221 yards. — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Clancy then cut her wrists and neck and jumped out of a second-story window, leaving her paralyzed. — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 After their deaths, Clancy cut her wrists and neck and jumped from a second-story window in a suicide attempt, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. — Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026 To achieve all that, engineer Peter Carlisle Hughes designed the robot with two shoulder joints, one elbow, and three rotating wrists. — Joanna Goodrich, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrist

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Middle High German rist wrist, ankle, Old English wrǣstan to twist — more at wrest

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wrist was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing wrist

Rhymes for wrist

See All Rhymes for wrist

Browse Nearby Words

Wrisberg's nerve
wrist
wristband
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wrist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wrist. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

wrist

noun
ˈrist How to pronounce wrist (audio)
: the joint or the region of the joint between the human hand and the arm
also : a corresponding part of a lower animal

Medical Definition

wrist

noun
ˈrist How to pronounce wrist (audio)
: the joint or the region of the joint between the human hand and the arm or a corresponding part on a lower animal

More from Merriam-Webster on wrist

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wrist

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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