1
as in weaves
to cause to twine about one another
tends to writhe his fingers together when he's nervous or upset
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in squirms
to make jerky or restless movements
writhing in pain from his injuries
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of writhes
The truth risks bringing down the whole edifice, which is why the system writhes to hide who takes decisions large and small.
—
Azadeh Moaveni, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
The congregation writhes, sometimes in unison, and whirls and stomps; at one point, a line of folks snake through a doorway and into the foreground, as the camera rotates in the opposite direction.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 2025
So says the priest (Ben Hall) to Sister Agnes (Hayley McFarland), who writhes in a dark room, foaming at the mouth before a gathering of fellow Carmelite nuns.
—Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
Azadeh Moaveni, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
The congregation writhes, sometimes in unison, and whirls and stomps; at one point, a line of folks snake through a doorway and into the foreground, as the camera rotates in the opposite direction.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 2025
So says the priest (Ben Hall) to Sister Agnes (Hayley McFarland), who writhes in a dark room, foaming at the mouth before a gathering of fellow Carmelite nuns.
—Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for writhes
Verb
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Matthew Fogel’s screenplay, which mostly pays lavish fan service to its inspiration, also weaves in a few emotional elements.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Mar. 2026
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Stanley also weaves in a look at the 1980s — a time that seems so long ago and yet also, for some, like yesterday.—
Oline H. Cogdill,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When Brian and Murtagh report that Dougal offended the Grants and Colum had to promise Ellen’s hand to appease the situation, Lord Lovat squirms.—
Lincee Ray Published,
EW.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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As the investigation twists and intensifies, Izzy is forced to confront her own compulsions and the personal cost of her pursuit of justice.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2026
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The nectar base twists off smoothly for quick refills, and a metal hanger is included for simple setup.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While the two men struggle with the jammed backdoor, Weisz’s character tosses them both a look before rushing toward the flames to grab her unfinished manuscript, written on legal pads, and dashing out of the cabin just in time.—
Meg Walters,
Glamour,
9 Mar. 2026
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Gyllenhaal lovingly crafts this scarred, stapled and eccentric Bonnie and Clyde duo then tosses them into a landscape of curiosities that matches their weird.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Persistent muscle twitches Everyone’s muscles twitch from time to time, usually at various locations.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
15 Jan. 2026
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Some devices, for example, track eye movements or other small muscle twitches to let users select words from a screen.—
Emma R. Hasson,
Scientific American,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The man fidgets, shifts around in his seat and fixates on Zarutska before pulling out a small knife and striking her multiple times around her neck.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In a viral video of the aftermath, the robot jerks back and forth to shake the glass off, showering yet more dangerous shards onto the sidewalk.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
26 Mar. 2026
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Ross’s video does not show if the SUV made contact with him, as the camera angle jerks up to the sky.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Writhes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/writhes. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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