through the wringer
idiom
informal
: through a series of very difficult or unpleasant experiences
Those poor people have really gone/been through the wringer lately.
They were put through the wringer by the adoption agency.
Examples of through the wringer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And if your pair looks a little dingy after putting them through the wringer on vacation, don’t stress—the Tree Runners can go right in the washing machine.
—
Sara Coughlin, SELF, 27 Sep. 2024
That means to the world to somebody who’s been thrown through the wringer and discarded and kicked to the curb.
—Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2024
In terms of sturdiness, Travel + Leisure’s testing team put these bags and hundreds of others through the wringer to create a list of the best affordable luggage sets.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2024
That includes salads, which are often a showcase in late summer because, in addition to being healthful, adding a handful to a bowl of greens or fruit is an easy way to refresh a body (and psyche) that’s been through the wringer because of this year’s never-ending hot weather.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for through the wringer 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Sara Coughlin, SELF, 27 Sep. 2024
That means to the world to somebody who’s been thrown through the wringer and discarded and kicked to the curb.
—Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2024
In terms of sturdiness, Travel + Leisure’s testing team put these bags and hundreds of others through the wringer to create a list of the best affordable luggage sets.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2024
That includes salads, which are often a showcase in late summer because, in addition to being healthful, adding a handful to a bowl of greens or fruit is an easy way to refresh a body (and psyche) that’s been through the wringer because of this year’s never-ending hot weather.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for through the wringer
Dictionary Entries Near through the wringer
Cite this Entry
“Through the wringer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/through%20the%20wringer. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share