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, extract, wring, yankRelated Words mine, pluck, remove, take (out), withdrawNear 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, extort, wringRelated 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, eke, wringRelated 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, wrench, wringRelated 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, tear, yankRelated Words grab, nab, seize, snap (up), snatch; lop (off), nip; amputate, cut (off), dissever, sever; extract, force, jerk, prize, pry, pull, root (out), uprootNear Antonyms reattach