wrest

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verb

Definition of WREST

1

to draw out by force or with effort <the boy wrested the book out of his sister's hands>

Synonyms corkscrew, prize, pry, pull, root (out), tear (out), uproot, wrest, wring, yank

Related Words mine, pluck, remove, take (out), withdraw

Near Antonyms implant, insert, install, instill; cram, jam, ram, stuff, wedge

2

to get (as money) by the use of force or threats <vowed that the bully had wrested his lunch money from him for the last time>

Synonyms exact, wrest, wring

Related Words bleed, fleece, gouge, milk, skin, squeeze; cheat, gyp, racketeer, swindle; coerce, compel, force

3

to get with great difficulty <farmers who were used to wresting a living from the harsh land>

Synonyms scrape (up or together), scrounge, squeeze, wrest, wring

Related Words acquire, attain, draw, earn, gain, land, obtain, procure, secure

4

to move by or as if by a forceful rotation <I need a strong arm to wrest the lid off this pickle jar>

Synonyms twist, wrest, wring

Related Words draw, dredge (up), extract, jerk, lug, pluck, pull, tug, tweak, yank; jimmy, lever, pry; budge, dislocate, displace, disturb, remove; shift, transfer, transpose

5

to separate or remove by forceful pulling <wrested open the stuck door of the cabinet>

Synonyms rip, wrench, wrest, yank

Related Words grab, nab, seize, snap (up), snatch; lop (off), nip; amputate, cut (off), dissever, sever; extract, force, jerk, prize, pry, pull, root (out), uproot

Near Antonyms reattach