Synonyms for wring

Most common

torment · distress · torture · rack · suffer · squeeze · strangle

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

Definitions

1. v. 1

   Often followed by out: to squeeze or twist (something moist) tightly so that liquid is forced out.

   I didn’t have a towel so I just wrung my hair dry.

2. v. 2

   To hold (someone or something) tightly and press or twist; to wrest.

   to wring the neck of a chicken

3. v. 3

   To cause distress or pain to (a person or their heart, soul, etc.); to distress, to torment.

4. v. 4

   To experience distress, pain, punishment, etc.

Related words

Word family

wringer

Phrases

wring out

Forms

Past participle

wringed
e.g. wringed → tormented, distressed, tortured, racked…

Example sentences

• vex Vex not too far the lion, chained though he be.
• agonize I hope we didn't agonize over this decision for nothing.
• lacerate I'll seize you and lacerate you!
• snatch Boldi tried to snatch the toy out of Martha's hands.
• distort Get the facts first. You can distort them later.

Popularity over time

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters

pry¹, vex¹

4 letters

pain¹, hurt¹, rack¹, ache¹, fret¹, gall¹, pang¹, rend

5 letters

press¹, twist¹, wound¹, pinch¹, sting¹, gripe¹, gouge¹, wrest¹

6 letters

suffer², snatch¹, wrench¹, harass², harrow², extort², writhe¹

7 letters

torture², squeeze¹, torment², anguish², distort², afflict², agonize³, contort², agonise

8 letters

distress², throttle², irritate³, strangle², lacerate³, aggrieve²

10 letters

excruciate

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (suffer² = 2 syllables).