wring

verb

\ ˈriŋ

wrung\ ˈrəŋ

\; wringing\ ˈriŋ-iŋ

Definition of wring

transitive verb

1 : to squeeze or twist especially so as to make dry or to extract moisture or liquid wring a towel dry

2 : to extract or obtain by or as if by twisting and compressing wring water from a towel wring a confession from the suspect

3a : to twist so as to strain or sprain into a distorted shape I could wring your neck

b : to twist together (clasped hands) as a sign of anguish

4 : to affect painfully as if by wringing : torment a tragedy that wrings the heart

intransitive verb

: squirm, writhe

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Examples of wring in a Sentence

I wrung the towel and hung it up to dry. I wrung my hair and wrapped it in a towel.

Recent Examples on the Web

She was baffled by the hand-wringing trickling through the scientific literature on screen time. — Jessica Wapner, SELF, "How Worried Do You Really Need to Be About Your Screen Time?," 7 Feb. 2019 While the drive to eliminate cash is fueled partly by capitalism’s impulse to wring waste out of the system, it is also propelled by consumers’ desire to make their lives easier. — Town & Country, "Is This the End of Cash?," 28 Jan. 2019 One of the more emotionally wringing plot lines thus far this season is centered around Kate and Toby, who are trying to get pregnant. — Tess Kornfeld, Glamour, "This Is Us Fans Are Losing It Over This Deleted Scene," 13 Oct. 2018 This is why friends of the region’s hard left are wringing their hands and crying that the Treasury rules will hurt the Venezuelan people. — Mary Anastasia O’grady, WSJ, "Power and Money in Venezuela," 10 Feb. 2019 Readers of Today's WorldView know there's no shortage of hand-wringing about the current state of liberal democracy. — Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, "Washington wakes up to ‘authoritarian’ populism in the U.S. and Europe," 10 May 2018 There has been some hand-wringing about the fired men: that a mass of male talent is departing the industry. — Audie Cornish, New York Times, "Christiane Amanpour Believes in the Power of Local News," 24 Jan. 2018 As a regent, Shanahan was known for bringing a heightened focus on wringing the most out of the university’s spending, according to a review of university records and interviews with people who know him. — Michelle Baruchman, The Seattle Times, "Trump pick for acting defense secretary brings a knack for complex issues honed at UW, Boeing," 24 Dec. 2018 Gottlieb said the agency will soon tap the public for comments on the terminology and hopes to wring out a new policy within a year. — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, "“An almond doesn’t lactate:” FDA to crack down on use of the word “milk”," 18 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wring.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.