wring

verb

ˈriŋ 

wrung ˈrəŋ  ; wringing ˈriŋ-iŋ 

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

3

a

: 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

wring noun

Synonyms

• extort
• squeeze
• wrest
• exact

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

Using clean hands and working over a colander, wring out the extra water and tear the soaked bread into pieces. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2025

Music directors Jordan Summers and Nick Vincent did a classic song that passes too quickly on record a great service by extending it by a few choruses, giving Valentine a chance to wring the emotion out of it that was only inherent in Zevon’s necessarily simpler delivery. —Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025

Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic’s steep terrain will force air upward, wringing out more moisture from the storm, just like squeezing a wet sponge, turning tropical humidity into torrents racing downhill. —Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025

Brain wrung like a sponge every rinse cycle. —Rowan Jacobsen, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English wringan; akin to Old High German ringan to struggle, Lithuanian rengtis to bend down, Old English wyrgan to strangle — more at worry

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing wring

• wring dry
• wring one's hands
• wring someone's neck

Rhymes for wring

• bing
• bring
• ching
• cling
• ding
• fling
• ging
• hing
• jing
• kling
• ling
• ming

Kids Definition

wring

verb

ˈriŋ 

wrung ˈrəŋ  ; wringing ˈriŋ-iŋ 

1

: to squeeze or twist especially so as to make dry or to rid of moisture or liquid

wring wet clothes

2

: to get by or as if by twisting or pressing

wring the truth out of them

3

: to twist into an unnatural shape or appearance with a forcible or violent motion

wring a chicken's neck

4

: to cause pain to as if by wringing : torment

their troubles wrung our hearts