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.
Inflation is proving to be stubborn as the Fed tries to wring out the last percentage point of improvement to get inflation down to 2%. Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025 While companies have long struggled to wring value out of their data initiatives, something big has changed in the last two years: Generative AI has spurred greater interest and investment in data quality and broader data capabilities. Randy Bean, Harvard Business Review, 2 Jan. 2025 Overall performance and efficiency tend to suffer as a result, despite our best intentions to wring more productivity from our days. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024 The waistline sits below the navel; the hem skims the bottom of the bum Lace trim garter straps at side body Rose gold-tone hardware Satin flashes 93% Polyamide, 7% Elastane Hand wash cold, do not wring, do not tumble dry, line dry. Appointed, refinery29.com, 3 Jan. 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

Dictionary Entries Near wring

Cite this Entry

“Wring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wring. Accessed 22 Jan. 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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