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
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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 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
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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The experience weaves together the rich history of the ship, its crew and passengers, building a deeper understanding of life aboard the Titanic.—
Kari Barnett,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Jan. 2026
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Sanders’s violin weaves his classical roots into the pulse of jazz improvisation.—
Gina Grillo,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Jan. 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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The haphazard plot twists itself into knots to include Jeremy Pope’s unfortunately eponymous character, before moving on to far shorter flings with equally monotonous cast members.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
21 Jan. 2026
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Be sure to choose a jar that twists shut; otherwise, the lid might pop off while being strung up.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But don’t let any of that hinder you from seeing director/co-screenwriter Ryan Prows’ nutso horror movie, which also tosses some decidedly less effective social commentary onto the barbie.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
14 Jan. 2026
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Some lay them flat, others hang them up, and the last set tosses them into a bin.—
Jennifer Prince,
Southern Living,
10 Jan. 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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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
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The video suddenly jerks away as the vehicle starts to move and shots can be heard.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Writhes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/writhes. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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