1. . Lit. to squirm with pain from being beaten with something. The sailor writhed under the sting of the lash. The child writhed under the pain of his spanking.

2. . Fig. to suffer under a mental burden. I writhed under her constant verbal assault and finally left the room. Why do I have to writhe under her insults?

1. . and writhe in something [for someone or an animal] to squirm because of something, such as pain. Carl writhed with pain and began to cry. He was writhing in pain when the paramedics arrived.

2. . [for something] to support or contain something that is writhing. The pit was writhing with snakes and other horrid things. The floor of the basement was writhing in spiders and crawly things.