winch

1 of 2

noun

ˈwinch 

1

: any of various machines or instruments for hauling or pulling

especially : a powerful machine with one or more drums on which to coil a rope, cable, or chain for hauling or hoisting : windlass

2

: a crank with a handle for giving motion to a machine (such as a grindstone)

Illustration of winch

• winch 1

winch

2 of 2

verb

winched; winching; winches

transitive verb

: to hoist or haul with or as if with a winch

wincher noun

Examples of winch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

What begins as yet another gunfight morphs into a horror-movie scenario: Reacher covers his face in mud like Arnold at the end of Predator and kills the last of his assailants by strangling him using a winch mounted on one of the ATVs. —Chris Klimek, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025

The winch system will reportedly be used to conduct regular deep-sea and polar survey operations, according to Guangming Daily. —Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024

Verb

The procedure took about two hours of winching to pull the vehicle out of the bog, the Army added. —Terry Collins, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025

The key to actually landing a bass caught near heavy cover is being ready to set the hook and start winching the bass away from its hiding place. —Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 19 Jan. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English winche roller, reel, from Old English wince; akin to Old English wincian to wink

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1529, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for winch

• cinch
• finch
• flinch
• inch
• lynch
• pinch
• synch
• bullfinch
• goldfinch

Kids Definition

winch

noun

ˈwinch

: a machine that has a roller on which a rope, cable, or chain is wound for pulling or lifting