wring

verb

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\ 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

Other Words from wring Synonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing wring Learn More About wring

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 Men, especially conservative men, continue to wring their hands over the male condition, of course. — Zoë Heller, The New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2022 In addition to considering lower-cost plans, Netflix is also trying to wring money out of the 100 million households that share passwords and access the service without paying. — Hamza Shaban, Anchorage Daily News, 20 July 2022 And for decades, the rule makers at the U.S. Golf Association (which sets the rules for the U.S. and Mexico) and the R&A (which sets the rules for much of the rest of the world) did little but wring their hands over it. — Dave Shedloski, WSJ, 16 June 2022 Big businesses are pushing hard to wring profits out of the smaller companies that supply them with goods and services. — Julie Steinberg, WSJ, 21 July 2022 Top Disney executives have made no secret of their desire to wring profits from the company’s growing emphasis on streaming. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 15 July 2022 Venture-capital backers of Teneobio Inc. have parlayed their bet on the biotechnology startup into a series of acquisition deals, illustrating the creativity some investors are using to wring profits from the sector. — Brian Gormley, WSJ, 13 July 2022 Passengers are being asked to shell out hefty prices for tickets despite the increasing likelihood of hassles, as airlines try to wring out profits amid surging costs. — Mary Schlangenstein, Fortune, 2 July 2022 The profile manages to wring out laughs and pathos in equal measure, though rarely from Fielder himself. — Longreads, 28 June 2022 See More

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.