# wring

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɹɪŋ/ · frequency rank #39,654

## Definitions
1. Often followed by out: to squeeze or twist (something moist) tightly so that liquid is forced out.
2. Often followed by out: to squeeze or twist (something moist) tightly so that liquid is forced out.
3. Often followed by from or out: to extract (a liquid) from something wet by squeezing, twisting, or otherwise putting pressure on it.
4. To hold (someone or something) tightly and press or twist; to wrest.
5. To hold (someone or something) tightly and press or twist; to wrest.
6. To bend or strain (something) out of its position; to wrench, to wrest.
7. To contort or screw up (the face or its features).
8. To twist or wind (something) into coils; to coil.
9. Of a thing (such as footwear): to pinch or press (a person or part of their body), causing pain.
10. To cause (someone or something) physical harm, injury, or pain; specifically, by applying pressure or by twisting; to harm, to hurt, to injure.
11. To cause (tears) to come out from a person or their eyes.
12. To cause distress or pain to (a person or their heart, soul, etc.); to distress, to torment.
13. To obtain (something) from or out of a person or thing by extortion or other force.
14. To use effort to draw (a response, words, etc.) from or out of someone; to generate (something) as a response.
15. To afflict or oppress (someone) to enforce compliance; to extort.
16. To cause (someone) to do something or to think a certain way.
17. To change (something) into another thing.
18. To give (teachings, words, etc.) an incorrect meaning; to twist, to wrest.
19. To put (oneself) in a position by cunning or subtle means; to insinuate.
20. To slide (two ultraflat surfaces) together such that their faces bond.
21. To be engaged in clasping and twisting (especially the hands), or exerting pressure.
22. To twist the body in or as if in pain; to writhe.
23. To contend, to struggle; also, to strive, to toil.
24. To experience distress, pain, punishment, etc.
25. Of a lode: to be depleted of ore; to peter or peter out.
26. To make a way out with difficulty.

## Etymology
From Middle English wringen, wryngen from Old English wringan (“to wring”), from Proto-Germanic *wringaną (“to squeeze, twist, wring”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *wrenǵʰ-.
Cognates
* Ancient Greek ῥίμφα (rhímpha, “fast”)
* Dutch wringen
* Lithuanian reñgtis (“to bend down”)
* Middle Low German wringen (Low German wringen)
* Old Frisian *wringa (West Frisian wringe)
* Old High German rinkan, ringan, ringan (Middle High German ringen, modern German wringen, German ringen (“to wrestle”))

## Easily confused with
- **writ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wring-vs-writ)
- **wrong** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wring-vs-wrong)
- **write** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wring-vs-write)
- **wrist** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wring-vs-wrist)
- **wrongs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wring-vs-wrongs)
- **writing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wring-vs-writing)
- **win** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/win-vs-wring)
- **wig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wig-vs-wring)
- **wind** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wind-vs-wring)
- **wine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wine-vs-wring)
- **wins** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wins-vs-wring)
- **wing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wing-vs-wring)
- **wang** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wang-vs-wring)
- **wong** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wong-vs-wring)
- **wink** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wink-vs-wring)
- **wren** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wren-vs-wring)
- **Winn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/winn-vs-wring)
- **whig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/whig-vs-wring)
- **wings** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wings-vs-wring)
- **whine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/whine-vs-wring)

## Common misspellings (8)
`rwing`, `wirng`, `wrign`, `wringg`, `wrinng`, `wrnig`, `wrring`, `wwring`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/wring