writhe
verb (used without object)
to twist the body about or squirm, as in pain, violent effort, uncontrolled passion, etc.
was writhing
-
past progressiveof writhe.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sixteen hours after Tatum was writhing on the court against the New York Knicks, he was stretched out on O’Malley’s operating table on the West side of Manhattan.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026
And that’s kind of what happened until her final hours when her breathing became so labored she was writhing and wrenching herself upright trying to get air.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2025
He was convulsing, he was writhing, the gurney was shaking noticeably.
From New York Times ● Feb. 1, 2024
"He was writhing and crawling as if in a military fashion," she said.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2023
The Station Inspector rolled his eyes and now focused his attention on Hugo, who was writhing in his arms.
From "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick
