put through the wringer
verb1
Idiomatic To interrogate or scrutinize closely; to subject to some trial or ordeal.
- They really put each candidate through the wringer before choosing one to hire.
- Psychiatrists say that for many people who have been put through the wringer over the past decade, the climate extremes are one crisis too many.2023 September 16, Jason Horowitz, “How Do We Feel About Global Warming? It’s Called Eco-Anxiety.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
- Synonyms
- run through the wringer, put through the mangle