WRITHE Synonyms: 54 Similar and Opposite Words

writhe

verb

ˈrīt͟h

Definition of writhe

as in to weave

to cause to twine about one another tends to writhe his fingers together when he's nervous or upset

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to squirm

to make jerky or restless movements writhing in pain from his injuries

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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 writhe Myers, writhing in pain on the warning track, was bent over when his fellow outfielders came over to tend to him, while the Reds training staff started the sprint out onto the field. — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026 The sight of Edward Cabrera writhing on the ground in pain was not one Craig Counsell needed to see Tuesday night. — Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 24 June 2026 Even as Chisholm spent several minutes on the ground writhing in pain, a few of his teammates, including Judge, Grisham and Clarke Schmidt, couldn’t help but smirk at his misfortune. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 19 June 2026 In the opening minutes, a crunching collision in front of the goal between Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku and Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand left Beiranvand writhing on the grass for several minutes, holding his face. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for writhe

Recent Examples of Synonyms for writhe

Verb

Experienced vine dressers weave the canes into basket-like forms that rest close to the island’s volcanic soil, protecting grapes from wind and harsh conditions.

— Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Wingate weaves this historical horror with a modern-day mystery, illustrating the lasting trauma of children stolen for profit and the unbreakable bond of blood.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026

Definition of weave

Verb

But the real pleasure is the 303 basslines that squirm in between the drums, coating the soundscapes of the tracks in grime and noxious soot.

— Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 1 July 2026
With the contact patch sliding and squirming, the brakes had less to work with—and the car took just enough extra distance to end in an impact.

— Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of squirm

Verb

When the Bosnian defender planted his right leg below Balogun’s right foot, the American inadvertently stomped on his right ankle, twisting it awkwardly.

— Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Pimiento cheese is a Southern classic, and this dip adds a couple twists to impress at any gathering.

— Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 1 July 2026

Definition of twist

Verb

There is something cultish about that idea — the player who tends not to start but has the knack to appear later on with antennae twitching, ready to seize the day and alter the course of a match.

— Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 21 June 2026
Leon Stetson was allegedly twitching, so officers moved him away from Carrie Stetson and started to render medical aid.

— Kellie Love, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2026

Definition of twitch

Verb

In addition to having lofty themes, this is also a fairly rousing adventure with enough visual panache to keep any kid from fidgeting in his seat.

— Pete Hammond, Deadline, 23 June 2026
A lot of those people have Victoria Baumann and Charlie Moreton to thank, the father-daughter duo behind Victoria Essie Studio that produces fidget toys and other knickknacks out of their homes in North Carolina.

— Jennifer Liu Valentina Duarte, CNBC, 14 June 2026

Definition of fidget

Verb

Contreras was tossed immediately, while Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton, interim manager Chad Tracy and Washington pitcher Miles Mikolas were all sent to the showers early.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
Guardians rookie Cooper Ingle made a routine catch last night and tossed the ball into the stands.

— Chris Branch, New York Times, 1 July 2026

Definition of toss

Verb

Watching their relationship devolve (never more so than when their sperm donor, a rakish, motorcycle-driving restaurant owner played by Mark Ruffalo, enters the scene) is most definitely a tear-jerking experience, as is the film’s final scene.

— Liam Hess, Vogue, 28 June 2026
Some were petty — like Reese committing a foul against Clark, then jerking her head back, impersonating Clark as a flopper.

— Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 June 2026

Definition of jerk

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“Writhe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/writhe. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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