wrung

wrung

She wrung out the wet towel over the sink.

Definition
  1. Verb (past tense and past participle of 'wring'):
    • To squeeze and twist: "wrung" is the past tense and past participle of "wring," meaning to compress and twist something, typically to extract liquid or to cause pain or pressure.
    • To extract by force: It can also mean to obtain something, such as consent or money, through coercion or pressure.
    • To affect emotionally: In a figurative sense, "wrung" describes causing intense emotional pain or distress.
Usage Examples
  • (She squeezed and twisted the cloth to extract liquid.)
  • (The negotiator forced or pressured the official into making a promise.)
  • (The news caused him deep emotional pain.)
Advanced Usage
  • "to be wrung out": to be exhausted or drained of energy, physically or emotionally.

    • After the long hike, she felt completely wrung out. (She was extremely tired and depleted.)
  • "to have one's hands wrung": to express great distress or anxiety, often by twisting one's hands together.

    • He wrung his hands in despair as the deadline approached. (He showed worry by twisting his hands.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Wring (verb, present tense): the base form; to squeeze, twist, or extract.

    • They wring the laundry before hanging it to dry. (They squeeze and twist the clothes to remove water.)
  • Wringer (noun): a device or machine for wringing water out of clothes; also used figuratively.

    • She put the clothes through the wringer to speed up drying. (The machine squeezed out the water.)
  • Wringing (adjective): describing something that is very wet or saturated.

    • His shirt was wringing wet after the rain. (His shirt was soaked through.)
Synonyms
  • Squeezed: compressed or pressed firmly.
  • Twisted: turned or bent into a spiral shape.
  • Extorted: obtained by force or threats (for the figurative sense).
  • Tormented: caused severe pain or distress (for the emotional sense).
Phrasal Verbs
  • Wring out: to remove liquid by squeezing and twisting.

    • He wrung out the sponge to clean the counter. (He squeezed the sponge to remove water.)
  • Wring from: to extract something, such as information or a promise, with difficulty.

    • The detective wrung a confession from the suspect. (The detective forced the suspect to confess.)
Related Idioms
  • Wring one's hands: to show anxiety, regret, or helplessness by twisting the hands together.

    • The manager wrung his hands as sales figures dropped. (He showed worry and frustration.)
  • Wring someone's neck: to be very angry with someone, often said as a threat or expression of frustration.

    • If he breaks that vase, I'll wring his neck! (I will be furious and punish him.)