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

Rinse the mop after each section, wring it dry, and move to another section until the entire floor has been cleaned. —Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2025

But after logging three and half miles through Miami one sweltering evening this week, members wrung out sweaty shirts, chugged ice water and welcomed a soaking rain shower at the finish line. —Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025

Roche took to his bag of artistic tricks gleaned from an animation career of using camera angles and framing to help wring the drama of those situations. —Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025

Whatever minor hand-wringing the opening of the 113-room hotel may have caused, it’s been widely embraced in the few years since opening. —Kim Velsey, Curbed, 4 Sep. 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