# wring

/ˈɹɪŋ/ (US) · /ɹˈɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wring
Updated: 2026-05-28

## Definition

to twist something tightly with your hands to squeeze out liquid. You might do this to a wet towel or a cloth after cleaning.

For teachers: to squeeze or twist something forcefully to extract moisture or liquid. Often used metaphorically to describe the act of obtaining something through great effort or pressure.

## Examples

- Wring the wet cloth before you wipe the table.
- After the heavy rain, he had to wring out his socks before he could continue the hike.
- The lawyers attempted to wring a confession from the witness, but her testimony remained remarkably consistent despite their aggressive questioning.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He ringed the towel" but "He wrung the towel" — Learners confuse 'wring' with 'ring' or 'ringed'; the correct past tense of 'wring' is the irregular form 'wrung'.

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive and often pairs with the particle 'out'. The past tense and past participle are both 'wrung'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.