writhe
Contort in agony
Writhe means to twist and contort the body, typically in response to intense physical sensation—pain, discomfort, or sometimes pleasure.
She writhed in agony on the hospital bed.
The word suggests continuous, involuntary movement rather than a single twist.
Figuratively, writhe can describe emotional torment: He writhed with embarrassment at the memory.
Snakes and worms writhe as their natural mode of movement, which gives the word its squirming, serpentine connotation.
Twist from discomfort
- wriggleTwisting, snakelike movement
- thrashBeat violently or defeat utterly
- flailSwing limbs erratically
- strainExcessive stretching force
resist · escape · restrain · bound · captive · desperate · fight · grapple
Twist from discomfort
- fidgetRestless small movements
- shiftMovement or work period
- restlessUnable to be still
- uneasyTroubled, not calm
uncomfortable · cringe · recoil · flinch · awkward · embarrassed · anxious · nervous
Extreme physical or emotional pain
- tormentSevere prolonged suffering
- anguishIntense mental suffering
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
- throesIntense painful struggles
convulse · spasm · cramp · wince · grimace · contort · clench · gasp
squirm
Twist from discomfort
- wriggleTwisting, snakelike movement
- thrashBeat violently or defeat utterly
- flailSwing limbs erratically
strain · resist · escape · restrain · bound · captive · desperate · fight · grapple · wrestle
squirm
Twist from discomfort
uneasy · uncomfortable · cringe · recoil · flinch · awkward · embarrassed · anxious · nervous · tense
agony
Extreme physical or emotional pain
- tormentSevere prolonged suffering
- anguishIntense mental suffering
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
throes · convulse · spasm · cramp · wince · grimace · contort · clench · gasp · moan
coil
Wound circular arrangement
sinuous · curl · wind · spiral · constrict · entwine · ripple · slink · glide · flex
throes
Intense painful struggles
intense · overwhelming · surrender · abandon · swoon · shudder · quiver · tremor · pulse · arch
- body movementsflexion, bend, standing, extension, sitting
- crawling motionsarmy crawl, belly crawl, bear crawl, crab walk, slither
- sufferingagony, anguish, misery, pain, torment
- twisting motionstwirl, coil, spiral, wind, curl
- fluid movementsflow, glide, sway, ripple, undulate
- Knot Theoryunknot, figure-eight knot, link, linking number, braid
writhestill
Unmoving, or continuing
be still · lie still · freeze · rest · hold still