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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
Most of the celebration and hand wringing over Moore’s law focuses on the ever-shrinking silicon transistor.
—IEEE Spectrum, 6 Jan. 2017
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
For the past several years, writers and pundits have been wringing their hands over how few men are supposedly writing and reading fiction today.
—Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 18 Sep. 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
Most of the celebration and hand wringing over Moore’s law focuses on the ever-shrinking silicon transistor.
—IEEE Spectrum, 6 Jan. 2017
Verb
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
For the past several years, writers and pundits have been wringing their hands over how few men are supposedly writing and reading fiction today.
—Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wringing
Verb
-
The fall was aided by the cooling prices of gasoline, eggs, and beef, but rising costs for consumer goods like apparel, computers, and airfares suggest tariffs are still squeezing household budgets.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Instead, 2026 is about building both stylish and sensible outfits that can take you from the airport to the streets with maximum versatility without ever squeezing into tight, form-fitting fabric.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The announcement adds to a slate of MileagePlus changes that tie perks and earning power to credit-card relationships.—
Sri Taylor,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Now, Riyadh hosts music concerts, desert raves, and a store where non-Muslims earning more than $159,000 a year are allowed to buy alcohol.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The film is incredibly, even magnificently, stylish, but beyond its initial presentation, there just isn’t very much guiding the story in any novel or exciting ways — beyond, perhaps, thematic echoes of how the less prim-and-proper tech bros of today might be pulling a fast one too.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Heimuli rebounded from the loss to Kouokam to beat Jessica Pyatt of El Paso Pebble Hills in a consolation semifinal, pulling Pyatt down with 15 seconds left in the second period and getting a pint five seconds later.—
Rick Kretzschmar,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But pull her away from the TV cameras, photographers and the prying eyes of the world, and her sarcastic-bordering-on-vulgar sense of humor bubbles to the surface.—
Dave Skretta,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
-
But pull her away from the TV cameras, photographers and the prying eyes of the world, and her sarcastic-bordering-on-vulgar sense of humor bubbles to the surface.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The verdict closes a chapter of one of South Korea’s biggest political crises, a saga that has been full of dramatic twists that have tested the country’s democratic guardrails.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The strawberry honey ice cream has a tangy twist with balsamic glaze and black pepper folded in.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The traveler confessed to extorting others to commit self-harm, the memo said.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Bandit gangs control entire districts, extorting protection money from communities in cash or kind, killing those that resist.—
Obi Anyadike,
semafor.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Hotel video footage showed the pair forcing entry into the hotel by yanking on a lobby door and breaking the lock.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The yellow bucket of a heavy construction excavator crashed down onto the roof of the vacant home at Parade Park, yanking it into a heap of split plaster and lumber.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Microbes could be the future space miners, helping humans survive on long-term missions by extracting mineral resources from extraterrestrial rocks.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Opening up new mining operations would be in keeping with the founding directive of the Forest Service, which mandates the balance of protecting resources and extracting them.—
Lauren Steele,
The Atlantic,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wringing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wringing. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
