through the wringer

phrase

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

Its flagship video game subscription service—Xbox Game Pass—has also been through the wringer, with a steep price hike taking effect last October, followed by a smaller, yet surprising price drop in April. — Jason Cohen, PC Magazine, 28 July 2026

The Primetime Emmy Awards have been through the wringer most of this decade, from the COVID-19 pandemic, to the SAG and WGA strikes, to the Los Angeles wildfires last year. — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 8 July 2026

Jessie Buckley, a runaway choice for best actress, helps put an audience through the wringer with her heartbreaking portrayal as Shakespeare's wife dealing with the tragic death of their son. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026

Directed by Josh Safdie, the frenetic adventure follows Chalamet as the fictional ping-pong champ Marty Mauser, who puts himself through the wringer to pursue his dream of becoming a table-tennis champ. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 8 Feb. 2026