wrung 1 of 2

Definition of wrungnext

wrung

2 of 2

verb

past tense of wring
1
as in squeezed
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 earned
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
4
as in pried
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 wrung
Verb
Decades of warming have wrung many parts of the US dry. Mark Gongloff, Mercury News, 17 Jan. 2026 Cover the area with a kitchen towel that has been soaked in hot water and then wrung out. Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 8 Jan. 2026 Most of the excess labor cost was wrung out during the depths of the rolling recession, aligning wage expenses with profitability and setting up businesses to benefit disproportionately from any top-line improvement. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025 Brain wrung like a sponge every rinse cycle. Rowan Jacobsen, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 The truth is, even the words wrung from the damp cloth can be trustworthy, too. Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025 The more there is, the more that can be wrung out by storms. Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025 Others wrung riches from the network; Berners-Lee assumed the mantle of moral authority, fighting to safeguard the web’s openness and promote equitable access. Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025 But after logging three and half miles through Miami one sweltering evening this week, members wrung out sweaty shirts, chugged ice water and welcomed a soaking rain shower at the finish line. Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrung
Adjective
  • The region is so reliant on desalination that prior intelligence assessments warned damage to the infrastructure could force evacuations from parched cities.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Forecasters said the parched conditions will continue through the spring.
    Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 19 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The three of us squeezed into our bedroom closet and huddled over my phone.
    Amanda Peet, New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Tkachuk controlled the loose puck in the crease and squeezed it past goalie Ilya Sorokin for the comeback victory.
    CBS News, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The Tigers' loss leaves no Philadelphia-area teams in either tournament after teams from Lehigh, Villanova and the University of Pennsylvania earned spots, with none advancing past the first round.
    CBS News, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
  • Only one of the blows earned a foul, a flagrant-one on star Duke freshman forward Cameron Boozer.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Her hair, with a neat middle part, was pulled back tightly into a low bun to frame her face perfectly, and it was all punctuated with a strong red lip.
    Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 19 Mar. 2026
  • With the win, Minnesota (10-3-3-4) pulled even with Boston atop the PWHL standings with 39 points.
    Theodore Tollefson, Twin Cities, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Someone pried open the mailbox of a residence in the 18000 block of Vessing Road, causing damage estimated at approximately $1,200.
    Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2026
  • The officers pried open the panel to free the woman, who was unable to get out of the tank on her own, according to the court records.
    Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Klinger recommends to steam it before marinating to reduce bitterness, and then grill, pan-sear, or crumble it into recipes.
    Jillian Kubala, Health, 12 Dec. 2025
  • Her sister’s sere hair went among the grasses; her head was full of the Child.
    Patricia Lockwood, New Yorker, 18 May 2025
Verb
  • In schemes orchestrated with Iza, Coberg arranged a fake drug arrest and stood guard while a victim was extorted.
    Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
  • At least three organizations have been extorted and suffered hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages after proprietary information was posted online by IT workers.
    Lisa Cavazuti, NBC news, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Heartstrings are tugged with relish.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Smoldering at the camera, the star—who’s currently dating Scooter Braun—tugged down the straps of the plum-chocolate bra and covered her chest with her hands.
    Lara Walsh, InStyle, 7 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wrung.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrung. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.

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