Writhe — meaning, pronunciation & more

Definition

to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling)

Pronunciation

🇺🇸American English

/ɹˈaɪð/

🇬🇧British English

/ɹˈaɪð/

🇮🇳Indian English

/ɹˈaɪð/

1 syllable Say it as /ɹˈaɪð/.

Examples

The prisoner writhed in discomfort
The child tried to wriggle free from his aunt's embrace

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

worm wriggle wrestle squirm twist

Parts of Speech

verb	to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling) “The prisoner writhed in discomfort”

Word Forms

wriggler	noun	one who can't stay still (especially a child)
wriggle	noun	the act of wiggling
squirmer	noun	one who can't stay still (especially a child)
squirm	noun	the act of wiggling
twist	noun	a jerky pulling movement
twister	noun	a localized and violently destructive windstorm occurring over land characterized by a funnel-shaped cloud extending toward the ground

Around the World

Europe

🇩🇪German

sich winden

sich in einer drehenden oder verdrehten Bewegung bewegen (besonders beim Kämpfen)

🇫🇷French

se tordre

se déplacer dans un mouvement de torsion ou de contorsion (surtout en cas de difficulté)

🇪🇸Spanish

retorcerse

moverse con un movimiento giratorio o contorsionado (especialmente cuando se lucha)

🇮🇹Italian

contorcersi

muoversi con un movimento rotatorio o contorto (specialmente quando si lotta)

🇳🇱Dutch

kronkelen

bewegen in een draaiende of verwrongen beweging (vooral tijdens het worstelen)

🇵🇹Portuguese

contorcer-se

mover-se em um movimento de torção ou contorção (especialmente quando se esforça)

🇷🇺Russian

корчиться

двигаться извилистыми или искривленными движениями (особенно при борьбе)

India

🇮🇳Hindi

उमेठना

टेढ़ी-मेढ़ी या टेढ़ी-मेढ़ी गति में चलना, (विशेषकर संघर्ष करते समय)

🇧🇩Bengali

কড়া

একটি মোচড় বা বিকৃত গতিতে সরানো, (বিশেষ করে যখন সংগ্রাম)

🇮🇳Tamil

முறுக்கு

ஒரு முறுக்கு அல்லது சுருங்கிய இயக்கத்தில் நகர்த்த, (குறிப்பாக போராடும் போது)

🇮🇳Telugu

మెలికలు తిరుగుతాయి

మెలితిప్పినట్లు లేదా వక్రీకరించిన కదలికలో కదలడానికి, (ముఖ్యంగా కష్టపడుతున్నప్పుడు)

🇮🇳Marathi

राइट

वळणावळणाच्या किंवा विस्कटलेल्या हालचालीत हालचाल करणे, (विशेषत: संघर्ष करताना)

🇮🇳Gujarati

સળવળવું

વળી જતું અથવા વિચલિત ગતિમાં ખસેડવું, (ખાસ કરીને સંઘર્ષ કરતી વખતે)

🇮🇳Kannada

ಬಾಗಿಸು

ತಿರುಚುವ ಅಥವಾ ತಿರುಚಿದ ಚಲನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಚಲಿಸಲು, (ವಿಶೇಷವಾಗಿ ಹೆಣಗಾಡುತ್ತಿರುವಾಗ)

🇮🇳Malayalam

പുളയുക

വളച്ചൊടിക്കുന്നതോ വളഞ്ഞതോ ആയ ചലനത്തിൽ നീങ്ങാൻ, (പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ബുദ്ധിമുട്ടുമ്പോൾ)

🇮🇳Punjabi

ਰਾਈਟ

ਇੱਕ ਮਰੋੜ ਜਾਂ ਉਲਟ ਮੋਸ਼ਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਜਾਣ ਲਈ, (ਖਾਸ ਕਰਕੇ ਜਦੋਂ ਸੰਘਰਸ਼ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੋਵੇ)

🇵🇰Urdu

رٹ

گھماؤ یا متضاد حرکت میں حرکت کرنا، (خاص طور پر جب جدوجہد کر رہے ہوں)

East & Southeast Asia

🇨🇳Chinese

翻腾

以扭曲或扭曲的动作移动（尤其是在挣扎时）

🇯🇵Japanese

もがく

ひねったりひねったりした動きで動くこと（特にもがいているとき）

🇰🇷Korean

꼬다

비틀거나 뒤틀린 동작으로 움직이다(특히 어려움을 겪을 때)

🇻🇳Vietnamese

quằn quại

di chuyển theo chuyển động xoắn hoặc vặn vẹo, (đặc biệt là khi vật lộn)

🇹🇭Thai

บิดเบี้ยว

เคลื่อนไหวในลักษณะบิดเบี้ยวหรือบิดเบี้ยว (โดยเฉพาะเมื่อดิ้นรน)

🇮🇩Indonesian

sakit hati

untuk bergerak dalam gerakan memutar atau memutar, (terutama saat berjuang)

🇵🇭Filipino

mamilipit

upang lumipat sa isang paikot-ikot o liko na paggalaw, (lalo na kapag nahihirapan)

🇲🇾Malay

menggeliat

untuk bergerak dalam gerakan berpusing atau berkerut, (terutamanya apabila bergelut)

Middle East

🇸🇦Arabic

طوى

التحرك في حركة ملتوية أو ملتوية (خاصة عند النضال)

🇮🇷Persian

پیچیدن

حرکت در یک حرکت پیچشی یا انحرافی، (مخصوصاً هنگام تقلا)

🇹🇷Turkish

debelenmek

bükümlü veya çarpık bir hareketle hareket etmek (özellikle mücadele ederken)

🇮🇱Hebrew

להתפתל

לנוע בתנועה מתפתלת או מעוותת, (במיוחד כאשר נאבקים)

Test Yourself1 / 3

What is the primary definition of the word 'writhe'?

The primary meaning of 'writhe' is 'to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling)'.

Which of the following sentences uses the word 'writhe' in a grammatically correct way?

Using 'writhe' in a noun/adjective form makes the first sentence correct.

In which domain is the word 'writhe' most likely to appear as standard vocabulary?

'writhe' is a standard word used primarily in general literature and formal communications.

Community Poll1 / 6

How often do you encounter the word 'writhe' in your daily reading?

Very Often

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

Do you find 'writhe' easy to spell?

Yes, very easy

Somewhat easy

A bit confusing

Extremely hard

In your opinion, does the word 'writhe' have a positive, neutral, or gloomy tone?

Positive

Neutral

Gloomy

Vibrant

Which age group is most likely to use 'writhe' in regular conversations?

Kids (3-12)

Teens (13-19)

Adults (20-60)

Seniors (60+)

How likely are you to use 'writhe' in a professional email?

Very likely

Somewhat likely

Not very likely

Never

Would you classify 'writhe' as formal, casual, or slang?

Formal

Casual

Slang

Archaic

Pick an option to see how others voted