Meaning & use
writhe
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Meanings
verbintransitive
To twist and turn the body in a violent, uncontrolled way, usually because of severe pain or distress.
Grammar: No object; the subject is the person or animal moving. Often followed by 'in' or 'with' to show the cause.
Patterns
- writhe in pain
- writhe with embarrassment
- writhe on the ground
The injured player writhed in pain on the field.
She writhed with embarrassment when she realized her mistake.
verbintransitive
To move with a twisting, snake-like motion.
Grammar: No object; often describes snakes, worms, or people moving like them.
Patterns
- writhe through something
- writhe along the ground
The snake writhed through the grass.
The worm writhed as it was picked up.
Word forms
| third person singular | writhes |
|---|---|
| past tense | writhed |
| past participle | writhed |
| -ing form | writhing |
Common combinations
- writhe in pain
- He writhed in pain after the fall.
- writhe with embarrassment
- She writhed with embarrassment during the speech.
- writhe on the ground
- The dog writhed on the ground, trying to scratch its back.
- writhe in agony
- The patient writhed in agony until the medicine took effect.
Synonyms and how they differ
- squirm
- Suggests smaller, wriggling movements, often from discomfort or nervousness, not necessarily intense pain.
- twist
- A more general word for turning; 'writhe' implies a violent, uncontrollable motion.
- contort
- Often used for facial features or body parts twisting unnaturally; 'writhe' is usually about the whole body.
Opposites
Word family
- writhing adjective
- Moving in a twisting, contorted way.
Commonly confused: writhe or wither? writhe or wreath?
writhe vs wither
Means to dry up and shrivel, often used for plants; 'writhe' is about twisting movements.
writhe vs wreath
A ring of flowers or leaves; sounds similar but is a noun.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
'Writhe' is intransitive, so it cannot take an object like 'the rope' or 'the book'. Only 'She writhed in pain' uses it correctly.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “writhe”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.