writhe

UK: /ˈraɪð/ US: /raɪð/ ,(rīᵺ)

Inflections of 'writhe' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

writhes

v 3rd person singular

writhing

v pres p

writhed

v past

writhed

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

writhe /raɪð/   v., writhed, writh•ing, n. 
v. [no object]

1. to twist and turn, as in pain.
2. to suffer greatly:
   The embarrassing disclosures about his past had him writhing.

n. [countable]

3. a twisting of the body.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

writhe  (rīᵺ), v., writhed, writh•ing, n. 
v.i. 

1. to twist the body about, or squirm, as in pain, violent effort, etc.
2. to shrink mentally, as in acute discomfort.

v.t. 

3. to twist or bend out of shape or position;
   distort;
   contort.
4. to twist (oneself, the body, etc.) about, as in pain.

n. 

5. a writhing movement;
   a twisting of the body, as in pain.

• bef. 900; Middle English writhen (verb, verbal), Old English wrīthan to twist, wind; cognate with Old Norse rītha to knit, twist; akin to wreath, wry

writh′er, n. 
writh′ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. thresh, flail, contort, wriggle.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

writhe / raɪð/ verb

1. to twist or squirm in or as if in pain
2. (intransitive) to move with such motions
3. (intransitive) to suffer acutely from embarrassment, revulsion, etc

noun

1. the act or an instance of writhing

Etymology: Old English wrīthan; related to Old High German rīdan, Old Norse rītha. See wrath, wreath, wrist, wroth

ˈwrither noun