writhed

verb

past tense of writhe
1
as in twisted
to cause to twine about one another tends to writhe his fingers together when he's nervous or upset

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in twitched
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 writhed Legend writhed in pain on the ground as Ruca took a second on her back to gather herself. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026 While family members and peers in Yuba City waited for more information, Burris writhed deeper into the bus, and responders in Martinez formulated a plan to rescue the people left inside. — Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 9 May 2026 His fingers splayed and writhed like a terrible mandible. — Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026 Ref Bankes initially ignored the wide-eyed protests of several Chelsea players to flash only his yellow card as Garnacho writhed, grimacing on the floor and clutching his left leg. — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026 Doncic writhed below the basket, spending a stoppage of 2-plus minutes with a Lakers trainer kneeling beside him. — Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 25 Feb. 2026 As a teller activated an alarm and called 911 from under her station desk, Brown writhed on the carpet. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Dec. 2025 Lorde writhed and danced on the b-stage and then launched into her own verse, recorded for the song’s viral remix during the brat-green summer of 2024. — Rachel Scharf, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2025 Tatum clutched his ankle and writhed in agony on the hardwood of Madison Square Garden before being wheeled to the locker room, head in hands. — Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for writhed
  1. twisted
  2. twitched
  3. braided
  4. squirmed
  5. plied
  6. fidgeted
  7. entwined
  8. tossed
Verb
  • The road was slick after showers and slid out and twisted like a long black tongue.
    — Kevin Barry, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Because there’s not even a morsel of darkness in Verity’s star persona, neither Lowen nor Jeremy know how twisted the real woman is.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of twisted
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 twitched
Verb
  • The heel of the shoe and its tongue tag also feature co-branding with Nigo and j-hope’s names on them and, instead of standard cotton laces, the sneakers have braided, multicolor ropes that pick up on the overall color scheme.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2026
  • While both goddess braids and boho braids are knotless styles with loose human or synthetic curls braided into some or all of the plaits, the amount of loose hair and where it’s placed is usually what’s up for debate.
    — Eden Stuart, Allure, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of braided
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 squirmed
Verb
  • Much as Las Vegas casinos plied high rollers with gourmet meals and lavish entertainment, sports gaming apps are now rewarding VIP bettors with luxury suite access, autographed jerseys and unique fan experiences.
    — Jake Rosenwasser, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The partnership between two outsiders clawing their way in, joined by an equally canny journalist played by Claire Foy, comes to shape Fleet Street, the London thoroughfare where scribblers plied their trade, in Lamb’s and Murdoch’s images.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of plied
Verb
  • One woman ordered some home furniture while two children fidgeted nearby.
    — David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
  • Between each dance was an excruciating silence during which network-TV producers monitored and reset their equipment while the men fidgeted onstage like excitable children.
    — Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
Definition of fidgeted
Verb
  • Their content objections also became entwined with safety concerns amid building demonstrations by activists.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Picasso’s Le Baiser (1969) shows two lovers entwined in a kiss and is estimated at $40 million.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of entwined
Verb
  • Yet Abrams still won’t kvetch about being crammed into a tiny whale-stomach set with a camera crew, while a half-dozen crew members surrounding the practical gut, wielding a gimbal, tossed him around like a wet rag doll.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Ohtani turned to the Dodgers’ dugout, spread his arms wide and tossed his bat to the side.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of tossed

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Cite this Entry

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

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