wring

verb

wrung ˈrəŋ How to pronounce wring (audio) ; wringing ˈriŋ-iŋ How to pronounce wring (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to squeeze or twist especially so as to make dry or to extract moisture or liquid
wring a towel dry
2
: to extract or obtain by or as if by twisting and compressing
wring water from a towel
wring a confession from the suspect
3
a
: to twist so as to strain or sprain into a distorted shape
I could wring your neck
b
: to twist together (clasped hands) as a sign of anguish
4
: to affect painfully as if by wringing : torment
a tragedy that wrings the heart
wring noun

Examples of wring in a Sentence

I wrung the towel and hung it up to dry. I wrung my hair and wrapped it in a towel.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But helping with the dishes could naturally have kids wringing out sponges and emptying glasses into the sink, no special setup required. Christine Carrig, The Atlantic, 21 July 2025 Despite this, Audi’s been able to wring more power out of the mill. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 19 June 2025 Graduation was Tuesday night; the Guardians are playing loose, easy, with nothing to lose, like a high school team wringing every last hug, laugh and memory before getting on with the summer, seniors getting on with life. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2025 Warmer oceans and air mean more evaporation and more moisture in the atmosphere, which gets wrung out in the form of more intense rain or snow. Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 14 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for wring

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English wringan; akin to Old High German ringan to struggle, Lithuanian rengtis to bend down, Old English wyrgan to strangle — more at worry

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wring was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wring. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

wring

verb
wrung ˈrəŋ How to pronounce wring (audio) ; wringing ˈriŋ-iŋ How to pronounce wring (audio)
1
: to squeeze or twist especially so as to make dry or to rid of moisture or liquid
wring wet clothes
2
: to get by or as if by twisting or pressing
wring the truth out of them
3
: to twist into an unnatural shape or appearance with a forcible or violent motion
wring a chicken's neck
4
: to cause pain to as if by wringing : torment
their troubles wrung our hearts

More from Merriam-Webster on wring

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