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
-
Kurtsie is small enough to walk under Bakari’s legs and frequently weaves between them — a sight that draws smiles from guests passing through the overlook.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Romvari weaves some documentary into the picture; these social workers, including one who worked directly with her family, are real people.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
In place of drums is a constant floor of undulating synth bass, which sometimes twists itself into the treble range but mostly functions as the x-axis to the percussion’s y in the vast lattice structure that supports this music.—
Daniel Bromfield,
Pitchfork,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Within minutes of leaving town, the pavement twists downward through tight turns and steep grades as the mountain air begins to warm, the vegetation giving way to chaparral and scattered juniper, then to the stark silhouettes of ocotillo and Mojave yucca.—
Josh Jackson,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Another day, as Mom loads the children into the car, Jeremy tosses a basketball against the house, again and again, his passive aggression registering through the ball’s unyielding thuds and his own frozen gaze.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Jobe Reed tosses 5 innings, scattering 4 hits with no runs, 7 strikeouts and 3 walks.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Persistent muscle twitches Everyone’s muscles twitch from time to time, usually at various locations.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
15 Jan. 2026
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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 23 Apr. 2026.
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