writhe

verb

ˈrīt͟h How to pronounce writhe (audio)
Definition of writhenext
1
as in to weave
to cause to twine about one another tends to writhe his fingers together when he's nervous or upset

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to squirm
to make jerky or restless movements writhing in pain from his injuries

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of writhe That night, the horse was thrashing and writhing in agony, suffering from the pain of its wound. — Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026 The cobra seems angry and writhes and attacks, and the handler holds the snake at bay, looking like a man who has made poor lifestyle choices and therefore deserves whatever is coming courtesy of his snake pal. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026 The man with almost no injury was writhing in agony, while the man with a four-inch nail lodged near his brain kept working for six days, not even realizing the nail was there. — Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Once Turek has finished writhing about on the floor in a shambolic attempt to gather, Czibor is on hand to whip the ball away and tuck it home from six yards, the simplest of tasks. — Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for writhe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for writhe
  1. weave
  2. squirm
  3. twist
  4. twitch
  5. entwine
  6. fidget
  7. toss
  8. jerk
Verb
  • On a recent Sunday afternoon, shoppers crowded the aisles at Tri Ocean Seafood Market on South Federal Boulevard, weaving around carts piled high with dragon fruit, Thai bananas and bundles of fresh herbs.
    — Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The Ivy League college where fraternities throw parties in towering mansions and students weave between deep gorges on their way to class is being rocked over the handling of rape allegations from 2024.
    — Grey Battle, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of weave
Verb
  • In the back, tanks bubbled with live lobsters while crawfish squirmed in boxes nearby.
    — Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Laura squirmed under her mother’s gaze, willed the light to turn green.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of squirm
Verb
  • Cameron Winter had one last knife to twist for the Dodger faithful in the audience at Hollywood Forever on Thursday night.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • To mollify the weathering forces that can twist or pull their systems apart, engineers at Ciel & Terre, a French floating solar array manufacturer, reshaped its design.
    — Sal Vaglica, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of twist
Verb
  • Just then, Chee Meng’s fishing rod twitched, and the line began to run out.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
  • During the test, Linton jerked and twitched in what prosecutors described as an attempt to fake a seizure.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of twitch
Verb
  • For this group, politics and art are so entwined as to be indistinguishable.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Their content objections also became entwined with safety concerns amid building demonstrations by activists.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of entwine
Verb
  • Following this concern, 55% of parents said their top concern was their child’s ability to complete multistep tasks such as homework while 45% of parents cited fidgeting.
    — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The current boom is driven by Gen Z’s openness about mental health, social-commerce virality on TikTok and Etsy, and a broader nervous-system regulation movement that treats fidgeting as a legitimate coping tool rather than a bad habit.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of fidget
Verb
  • That woman was truly unbothered, a term tossed around online, but the literal act of not being bothered is impossible for most people beyond the quirkiest, like my onetime neighbor, or maybe Fran Lebowitz.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Oct. 2026
  • After a promising start to the potential game-tying drive in the extra frame, Tagovailoa would toss an interception to Baltimore All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton to seal Atlanta's fate.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of toss
Verb
  • During the test, Linton jerked and twitched in what prosecutors described as an attempt to fake a seizure.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Drivers should never swerve or jerk the steering wheel, the state patrol said.
    — Celia Frazier, Denver Post, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of jerk

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Cite this Entry

“Writhe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/writhe. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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