through the wringer

idiom

informal

: through a series of very difficult or unpleasant experiences

Those poor people have really gone/been through the wringer lately.

They were put through the wringer by the adoption agency.

Examples of through the wringer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Everyone knew that Stability AI was going through the wringer. —Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024

Forterra has been through the wringer over the years in what may be one of the most stringent testing processes anywhere, submitting their systems to the Army Test and Evaluation Center, with most testing done at ATEC’s Aberdeen Test Center. —Richard Bishop, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024

From draft busts to the first ever team in league history to go winless through a 16-game season, their fans have been through the wringer. —Ben Morse, CNN, 17 Feb. 2024

For starters, Hughes had to be going through the wringer. —Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 23 Jan. 2024

Celebrity couples have been through the wringer, from breakups to makeups and permanent separations resulting in divorce. —Dominique Fluker, Essence, 15 Dec. 2023

The monster makes no logical sense anatomically, but despite that Gigan has managed to put Godzilla through the wringer like few other adversaries. —Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Dec. 2023

Hotels have been through the wringer since the start of the pandemic. —Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2023

Fitbit owners have been through the wringer this past year as Google works on integrating Fitbit and its services into its ecosystem. —Victoria Song, The Verge, 17 Oct. 2023