as in twitching
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in weaving
to cause to twine about one another
tends to writhe his fingers together when he's nervous or upset
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in squirming
to make jerky or restless movements
writhing in pain from his injuries
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 writhing
Hunter Ingram, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Raynaud clutched his left knee while writhing in pain before limping off the floor with assistance from head athletic trainer Joel Noland.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 4 Jan. 2026
Jokic collapsed to the court, grabbing at the knee and writhing in pain.
—CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025
This is then contrasted with the weight of this trauma, which pulls her to the ground, writhing in pain, in search of a new form of release.
—Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 26 Dec. 2025
After Nancy shoots the exotic matter, the writhing ball of energy becomes even more ferocious, melting the top of the lab at a more rapid rate.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 25 Dec. 2025
Jovic immediately grabbed at his lower back and stayed down on the court writhing in pain, as Heat teammates and trainers immediately rushed to check on him.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 16 Dec. 2025
Daniels landed on his non-throwing shoulder and was writhing in pain as the team’s training staff came over to tend to him.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Those Sundays writhing on the couch with him were our simian language of love.
—Nick Stern, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
Throughout the writhing and the screaming, Julia’s fortitude wears down a defiant Davina, whose history with Lovat feeds the moment.
—Verb
Star goalie Igor Shesterkin was left writhing in pain after attempting to stop oncoming Utah Mammoth forward JJ Peterka.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for writhing
Noun
-
Patients first experience twitching or weakness in a limb, as Decker did.—
-
The more serious side effects of caffeine overdose include trouble breathing, sudden high blood pressure, muscle twitching, confusion, vomiting and seizures.—
Verb
-
The debate over lasting solutions reveals the complexity of how criminal organizations have grown so powerful, weaving themselves into nearly every layer of Brazilian society over time.—
-
What results is a familiar historical drama, weaving together many various characters in the buildup to the climactic courtroom showdown.—
Verb
-
An annual tradition in the legal circle, as well as his UCLA symposium sit-downs, the hourlong speech from the predominantly softspoken Ziffren clearly had a few attendees squirming in their seats near the end.—
-
Hungry birds looking for dozens of squirming caterpillars a day to feed their young can easily find the insects on oak trees.—
Verb
-
Two prospectors who had once flown over the area confirmed that, seen from above, the rivers looked like a handful of golden worms twisting through the green.—
-
As much a gripping, twisting whodunnit as a heart-wrenching depiction of the aftermath of loss, grief and warped masculinity.—
Verb
-
Cole, wearing a khaki jumpsuit, spent much of the hearing sitting quietly and attentively as the parties argued, occasionally adjusting his glasses or fidgeting slightly in his chair.—
-
Applause intermingled with tears as the families of the Camp Mystic campers and counselors looked on, many with small children fidgeting in their Sunday-best attire behind the governor.—
Noun
-
For those deep in the Apple ecosystem who want headphones that just work without all the fiddling, the Beats Solo 4 make sense with a 25% discount.—
-
Now scientists have found that, with a little fiddling, the feathers can be adjusted to turn flashes of light into laser beams.—
Verb
-
Instead of tossing your cords into your carry-on and hoping for the best, keep your tech essentials organized with this compact $10 electronics organizer from Fyy.—
-
Montana State players jumped around at midfield, some tossing their helmets, to celebrate the team’s first national championship since 1984.—
Noun
-
Even the normally surefire element of a score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, with its blasts of dissonance pumping up the squirm factor, adds to the heavy-going effect of a movie that seems to go out of its way to be grating.—
-
That kind of thing makes a checker squirm.—
Cite this Entry
“Writhing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/writhing. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share