winch

1 of 2

noun

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
On Wednesday, May 14, a Czech climber was plucked off the mountain by a helicopter using a long-line winch system. Ben Ayers, Outside Online, 16 May 2025 On Sunday, Two Bear Air, a private search and rescue company from Montana, used a helicopter winch system to evacuate both bodies from the river canyon. Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 12 May 2025
Verb
Lamb and Smit approach with their gear and check vitals, then begin measuring, sampling and hoisting the grizzly’s anesthetized body into the air in a sling winched to a tree. Lesley Evans Ogden, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 May 2025 Twenty-two people had been rescued by helicopter, including 18 winched from flooded homes and roads, and four rescued from a bridge, NSW Police said. Reuters, NBC news, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for winch

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of winch was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Winch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/winch. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

winch

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

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