Meaning & use
writhing
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“writhing” is a form of “writhe”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Twisting and turning the body about, usually because of great pain or distress.
Grammar: Usually before a noun: a writhing patient. The verb is writhe: he writhed in pain.
Patterns
- writhing in pain
- writhing on the ground
The writhing man on the pavement was quickly surrounded by paramedics.
She watched her writhing dog and called the vet immediately.
The writhing child had swallowed something sharp and could not stop screaming.
adjectivebefore a noun
Moving with a long, twisting, snaky motion.
Grammar: Describes a thing that twists continually: writhing snakes.
Patterns
- a writhing mass of something
The pit was full of writhing snakes.
A writhing tangle of cables lay behind the desk.
The dancers formed a writhing crowd under the lights.
Common combinations
- writhing in pain
- He lay on the floor writhing in pain.
- writhing in agony
- The patient was writhing in agony before the doctors arrived.
- writhing mass
- A writhing mass of worms covered the path after the rain.
- writhing with embarrassment
- She sat writhing with embarrassment as her father told the story.
- writhing on the ground
- The player was writhing on the ground after the tackle.
Synonyms and how they differ
- squirming
- Squirming is a lighter, smaller movement, often from nervousness or embarrassment, while writhing suggests violent twisting.
- thrashing
- Thrashing means hitting around with sudden big movements, while writhing is a twisting movement.
- twisting
- Twisting is the neutral word for any turning, and it does not imply pain.
- wriggling
- Wriggling is a quick, small, often playful movement, whereas writhing is more intense or painful.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: writhing or writing? writhing or wreathing?
writhing vs writing
Writing, spelled with t-i-n-g, means putting words on paper. Writhing, with the th, is about twisting movements, and the pronunciation differs: /ˈraɪðɪŋ/ versus /ˈraɪtɪŋ/.
writhing vs wreathing
Wreathing means circling or covering something with a wreath-like shape and is unrelated to pain or twisting.
Practice
The injured climber lay on the rocks, ____ in pain until the rescue team arrived.
Choose one answer.
Writhing means twisting the body in pain. Writing sounds similar but means putting words on paper.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “writhing”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.