as in pull
the act or an instance of applying force on something so that it moves in the direction of the force
had to give the shoe a good yank to get it off
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to jerk
to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion
she stupidly yanked the wheel while I was driving
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to pull
to draw out by force or with effort
yanked out a tooth with a pair of pliers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to grab
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
grab the other one, and let's see if we can't yank these two grocery carriages apart
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of yank
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
24 Mar. 2026
Effectively, this turned the workspace into a yank buffer along with all your documents, and undoing any destructive editing operation thus became merely another cut and paste.
—
Cameron Kaiser,
ArsTechnica,
12 Sep. 2025
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
26 June 2026
Keep the movement coming from your ribs, rotating, not by yanking your neck.
—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for yank
Noun
Soy sauce, Maggi seasoning, daikon and shiitake mushroom yank pot roast into new territory.
—
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
24 Mar. 2026
Effectively, this turned the workspace into a yank buffer along with all your documents, and undoing any destructive editing operation thus became merely another cut and paste.
—
Cameron Kaiser,
ArsTechnica,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
The plan has morphed in the decade since its inception amid local opposition, and in 2024 proponents yanked a related ballot measure after opting to try and work with local regulators.
—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
26 June 2026
Keep the movement coming from your ribs, rotating, not by yanking your neck.
—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for yank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yank
Noun
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Irwin, who is the sister of former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Trent Irwin, recorded 94 flag pulls and 15 interceptions as a safety.
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Anderson has said the body double acts as a kind of calmer mirror, and that the distracted person feels a quiet pull not to waste the other person’s time.
Verb
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Watching their relationship devolve (never more so than when their sperm donor, a rakish, motorcycle-driving restaurant owner played by Mark Ruffalo, enters the scene) is most definitely a tear-jerking experience, as is the film’s final scene.
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Some were petty — like Reese committing a foul against Clark, then jerking her head back, impersonating Clark as a flopper.
Verb
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Prime Day 2026 Editor Picks One way to weed through the pages and pages of deals is going straight to the Vogue editor picks section, to see what the team has hand-plucked across all categories.
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This gorgeous, minimalist rug from Nuloom looks like it was plucked straight from a five-star resort with its striking border and jute-like texture.
Verb
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There is an art to cutting a cantaloupe, which starts long before grabbing the knife and cutting board.
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Schmidt can be forgiven for making this headline-grabbing prediction.
Noun
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Libra September 23 – October 22 Ambitions rise while playful urges tug back.
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Those vessels are smaller commercial ships, including five smaller oil tankers, coastal ships and tugs, according to analysis of the vessels waiting.
Verb
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There is something cultish about that idea — the player who tends not to start but has the knack to appear later on with antennae twitching, ready to seize the day and alter the course of a match.
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Leon Stetson was allegedly twitching, so officers moved him away from Carrie Stetson and started to render medical aid.
Verb
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EgoLab, an Indian data aggregation company among those extracting this information from apparel factories, according to The Guardian, has a clientele that includes major companies like Tesla.
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Even when doctors are able to access patient data from other systems, pinpointing and extracting the most relevant information for a particular patient’s case can require tremendous effort.
Verb
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Pride flags are once again blowing in the breeze on Kings Highway in Haddonfield, New Jersey, less than 48 hours after police say a man ripped most of them down in the middle of the borough's busy business district.
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Sequined trousers resembled jeans, while ripped denim was finished with fine silver chains.
Cite this Entry
“Yank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yank. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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