WordLens

writhe

1 of 1verb
/raɪð/
Forms:writhes,writhing,writhed,writhed
1

to twist or squirm violently, from struggle, physical pain, or emotional distress

C2
  • The wounded soldier writhed on the ground in agony.
  • The snake writhed as it tried to free itself from the trap.
  • She writhed in her restraints, desperate to break free.
  • The actor writhed in anguish during the dramatic scene.
  • The child writhed when the medicine stung his tongue.
2

to move in twisting or coiling motions

  • The vine writhed along the garden fence.
  • Smoke writhed upward in thin, spiraling trails.
  • The river seemed to writhe through the valley.
  • The dancer's body writhed gracefully in the dim light.
3

to twist or fold something into coiled or contorted shapes

  • He writhed the wire into a loop.
  • The artist writhed the metal into a complex sculpture.
  • She writhed the ribbon into a spiral pattern.
  • The blacksmith writhed the hot iron around the rod.
  • The craftsman writhed the vines into a wreath.
4

to interweave or twist into complex, intricate, or patterned forms

  • The vines writhed together into an ornate lattice.
  • The ribbons writhed into a braided design.
  • The artist's strokes writhed across the canvas like serpents.
  • The roots writhed beneath the soil, forming tangled shapes.
  • The calligraphy writhed into decorative flourishes.