as in twisting
a forceful rotating or pulling motion for the purpose of dislodging something
a firm wringing of the shoe got it off
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in squeezing
to get (as money) by the use of force or threats
that bill collector is willing to do anything to wring money out of deadbeats
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in earning
to get with great difficulty
after years of trying to wring a decent profit out of the business, he is finally giving up
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in pulling
to move by or as if by a forceful rotation
I'm so mad I could wring your neck
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in prying
to draw out by force or with effort
willing to use torture if necessary in order to wring the information out of the terrorist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wringing
Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 14 Jan. 2026
That was a lot of that hand wringing in 2024.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
There was a lot of gnashing of teeth, wringing of hands.
—Alison Weinflash, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
That's going to require some major hand wringing.
—Hayleigh Colombo, IndyStar, 24 Apr. 2025
Most of the celebration and hand wringing over Moore’s law focuses on the ever-shrinking silicon transistor.
—IEEE Spectrum, 6 Jan. 2017
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
But the response should not be hand-wringing or name-calling.
—Reardon Sullivan, Baltimore Sun, 19 Feb. 2026
Democrats wringing their hands and making appeals to process while the President sends people to Salvadoran prisons without trial are unfit to meet the moment, this theory says.
—Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
Squeeze out excess water without wringing the scarf.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2026
As the complaining businesses are no doubt wringing their hands over the setback, shoppers are also bemoaning the havoc that tariffs have wreaked on their pocketbooks as the final week of holiday shopping ramps up.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 16 Dec. 2025
Cal fans are wringing their hands in fear that Sagapolutele, one of the nation’s most promising young quarterbacks, could transfer in reaction to the coaching change.
—Jeff Faraudo, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
With everyone following Neal’s lead, Lindsay realized that other than her and Doherty, no one was interested in wringing much out of Amazon.
—Sean Patrick Cooper, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 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
Noun
Swish the fur through the water for no more than 10–15 minutes, avoiding excessive agitation and wringing.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 14 Jan. 2026
That was a lot of that hand wringing in 2024.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
There was a lot of gnashing of teeth, wringing of hands.
—Alison Weinflash, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
That's going to require some major hand wringing.
—Hayleigh Colombo, IndyStar, 24 Apr. 2025
Most of the celebration and hand wringing over Moore’s law focuses on the ever-shrinking silicon transistor.
—IEEE Spectrum, 6 Jan. 2017
Verb
That is what Emma is doing in this scene by talking to Mark, looking at the floor demurely, and wringing her hands precisely three (3) times.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
But the response should not be hand-wringing or name-calling.
—Reardon Sullivan, Baltimore Sun, 19 Feb. 2026
Democrats wringing their hands and making appeals to process while the President sends people to Salvadoran prisons without trial are unfit to meet the moment, this theory says.
—Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
Squeeze out excess water without wringing the scarf.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2026
As the complaining businesses are no doubt wringing their hands over the setback, shoppers are also bemoaning the havoc that tariffs have wreaked on their pocketbooks as the final week of holiday shopping ramps up.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 16 Dec. 2025
Cal fans are wringing their hands in fear that Sagapolutele, one of the nation’s most promising young quarterbacks, could transfer in reaction to the coaching change.
—Jeff Faraudo, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
With everyone following Neal’s lead, Lindsay realized that other than her and Doherty, no one was interested in wringing much out of Amazon.
—Sean Patrick Cooper, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wringing
Verb
-
The videos have pulled back the curtain on ingredient shifts across some of the company’s most recognizable products — and a surging cocoa market that’s squeezing the entire candy industry.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The Pios led 4-1 after a period and put the clamps down, methodically squeezing the clock and the Broncos’ hopes of a repeat title, a shift at a time.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Households earning over $100,000 annually now account for roughly 75 percent of Walmart’s recent market share gains.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Those two will set the tone for Orlando and remain crucial to earning three points at home.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Then, as the pandemic waned, in 2023 and early ’24, came two jolts to the system – federal pandemic-era assistance ended, pulling food and food-related funding away from charities, and the number of people seeking food continued to grow.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The trio rebuild the tower and Guerrero goes up again, pulling the line for about four minutes more before the group takes down the tower, wheels the cart away from the window and walks away.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Entering his third season at the helm, Counsell is seemingly more comfortable with the uniqueness of managing the Cubs, from the day games to the prying media to the quirkiness of the ballpark, which can favor hitters one day and pitchers the next.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
There are those who close their social media accounts, those who move to a ranch away from prying eyes, and those who decide to address the issue.—
Alessandra De Tommasi,
Vanity Fair,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Colorado Rockies are rolling out a lineup of new food offerings ahead of Opening Day, featuring everything from oversized hot dogs to inventive twists on classic ballpark staples.—
Jasmine Arenas,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Character names fade, plot twists dissolve, but the enjoyment of the moment remains.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The official reports into that incident show that Epstein initially told prison officials that his cellmate had tried to kill him after extorting him for money.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
-
There had been tension between Bo Nagar’s force and the local PDF units since last year over his BNRA fighters allegedly extorting money at road checkpoints.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Keep the movement coming from your ribs, rotating, not by yanking your neck.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
1 Apr. 2026
-
In other words, eliminating them from the animal kingdom would be like yanking an entire tier of Jenga blocks out of the middle of the tower.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In any context, everyone is justified in resisting or repelling any invasion of their person or property, extracting restitution or exacting punishment in response to an invasion, or helping someone else do the same.—
Connor Okeeffe,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Afghanistan joined Iran as countries singled out by the United States for detaining Americans in hopes of extracting policy concessions.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wringing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wringing. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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