twist/turn the knife (in the wound)

idiom

informal
: to say or do things that cause more pain to someone who is already suffering
Any more cuts in government aid to these poor people will be twisting the knife in the wound.

Examples of twist/turn the knife (in the wound) in a Sentence

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Firmly tap the pit with a knife so the knife is wedged into the pit; turn the knife like a key to disengage the pit from the avocado. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2025 Depressing headline from The Athletic Nobody can twist the knife quite like an editor. Sean McIndoe, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024

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“Twist/turn the knife (in the wound).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twist%2Fturn%20the%20knife%20%28in%20the%20wound%29. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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