ring and wring are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. ring means “a characteristic sound”. wring means “twist and press out of shape”. ring is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈɹɪŋ/
1.n.a characteristic sound
“it has the ring of sincerity”
2.n.a toroidal shape
“a ring of ships in the harbor”
3.n.a rigid circular band of metal or wood or other material used for holding or fastening or hanging or pulling
“there was still a rusty iron hoop for tying a horse”
/ˈɹɪŋ/
| ring | wring | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈɹɪŋ/ | /ˈɹɪŋ/ |
| Said | ring | ring |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 4 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | verb, noun |
| Senses | 15 | 5 |
| How common | Core | Familiar |
| Synonyms | none recorded | contort, deform, distort |
Full entry for ring · Full entry for wring · More comparisons
1.v.twist and press out of shape
2.v.twist and compress, as if in pain or anguish
“Wring one's hand”
3.v.obtain by coercion or intimidation
“They extorted money from the executive by threatening to reveal his past to the company boss”