twist/turn the knife (in the wound)

idiom

informal
: to say or do things that cause more pain to someone who is already suffering
Any more cuts in government aid to these poor people will be twisting the knife in the wound.

Examples of twist/turn the knife (in the wound) in a Sentence

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Depressing headline from The Athletic Nobody can twist the knife quite like an editor. — Sean McIndoe, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024 One of the features that is bound to turn the knife and sheath into a fidget favorite is that there is an extremely satisfying click when the knife is slid back into position after having been removed and used. — Michael Franco, New Atlas, 28 Nov. 2024

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“Twist/turn the knife (in the wound).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twist%2Fturn%20the%20knife%20%28in%20the%20wound%29. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.

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