writhe
To twist and turn your body about, often in pain.
writhe in a sentence
- The footballer writhed on the grass, clutching his ankle.
- The worm began to writhe and twist about when the blackbird tugged it from the lawn.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to writhe?
- Arest
- Bsquirm
- Crelax
- Dstill
Show the answer
B: squirm. The other three mean the opposite of writhe.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to writhe?
- Awriggle
- Brelax
- Csquirm
- Dtwist
Show the answer
B: relax. The other three mean nearly the same as writhe.
Words that mean something similar
squirm, wriggle, twist
Words that mean the opposite
relax, rest, still
More words about movement & action
- abandon: To leave someone or something behind and never go back.
- accomplish: To finish something successfully after working at it.
- acquire: To get something and make it your own.
- agile: Able to move quickly and easily.
- aimless: Having no plan or purpose.
- amble: To walk in a slow, relaxed way.
- arduous: Very difficult and tiring, needing lots of effort.
- ascend: To climb or move upwards.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test