WRITHED Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

writhed

verb

past tense of writhe

as in twisted

to cause to twine about one another tends to writhe his fingers together when he's nervous or upset

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in twitched

to make jerky or restless movements writhing in pain from his injuries

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of writhed Lesnar smiled as Femi writhed in pain from the multiple finishing moves. — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026 While family members and peers in Yuba City waited for more information, Burris writhed deeper into the bus, and responders in Martinez formulated a plan to rescue the people left inside. — Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 9 May 2026 His fingers splayed and writhed like a terrible mandible. — Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026 Ref Bankes initially ignored the wide-eyed protests of several Chelsea players to flash only his yellow card as Garnacho writhed, grimacing on the floor and clutching his left leg. — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026 Doncic writhed below the basket, spending a stoppage of 2-plus minutes with a Lakers trainer kneeling beside him. — Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 25 Feb. 2026 As a teller activated an alarm and called 911 from under her station desk, Brown writhed on the carpet. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Dec. 2025 Lorde writhed and danced on the b-stage and then launched into her own verse, recorded for the song’s viral remix during the brat-green summer of 2024. — Rachel Scharf, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2025 Tatum clutched his ankle and writhed in agony on the hardwood of Madison Square Garden before being wheeled to the locker room, head in hands. — Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for writhed

Verb

In the classic entrepreneurial discussion, hope gets twisted a bit.

— Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026
Quixotic aerialists twisted, turned and unfolded above the crowd, using flowing fabric and butterfly-inspired movements to mirror the creatures being celebrated.

— Sophia Buonpane, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of twisted

Verb

Many a club’s board would have twitched in the face of the bare data, but the chain of command above Arteta stayed the course, and the FOMO is so high that tickets for Palace away this weekend are going for £45,000 ($60,000) on resale sites.

— Phil Hay, New York Times, 21 May 2026
My jaw twitched uncontrollably.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 May 2026

Definition of twitched

Verb

Her glossy hair, braided into two plaits, hung down over her shoulders in a style unusual for young girls these days.

— Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Rebecca wore her simple weekday covering over her hair, which had been pulled back in a ponytail, then braided and pinned up on the back of her head.

— Rachel Yoder, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of braided

Verb

Belloumi’s 64th-minute strike with his left foot broke the deadlock in the second game of the two-leg affair and Gelhardt made sure with a low shot that squirmed past the Millwall goalkeeper.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 May 2026
His Japanese guest, usually a paragon of diplomatic cool, visibly squirmed.

— Andreas Kluth, Twin Cities, 14 Apr. 2026

Definition of squirmed

Verb

The lakes are medieval peat diggings that were flooded by rising seas in the 14th century, and long plied by cargo boats known as wherries.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 9 Aug. 2026
There were no global superstars, and only a couple of players at genuinely elite clubs like Benfica and Villarreal; most plied their trade well outside football’s spotlight.

— André Martin, Fortune, 16 July 2026

Definition of plied

Verb

One woman ordered some home furniture while two children fidgeted nearby.

— David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
Between each dance was an excruciating silence during which network-TV producers monitored and reset their equipment while the men fidgeted onstage like excitable children.

— Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026

Definition of fidgeted

Verb

The consequences aren’t just ecological; trout fishing is closely entwined with the economy in many Rocky Mountain communities.

— Matthew Brown, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2026
The allegations became entwined with the court’s investigation into the war in Gaza, with Khan’s supporters arguing that the warrants the court has issued for top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, were at stake.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026

Definition of entwined

Browse Nearby Words

writhe

writhed

writhes

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Writhed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/writhed. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of writhed

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on writhed

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

circumscribe

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes