wrest

Definition of wrestnext
1
as in to pry
to draw out by force or with effort the boy wrested the book out of his sister's hands

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2
as in to extort
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

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3
as in to earn
to get with great difficulty farmers who were used to wresting a living from the harsh land

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4
5
as in to grab
to separate or remove by forceful pulling wrested open the stuck door of the cabinet

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wrest Fast forward to 2025 when the total outlays are now north of $7 trillion a year, more than a 360% increase in national spending in the 30 years since term limits were wrested from the American public. Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2026 Last August, Howard Stern attempted to wrest news of a Metallica Sphere residency during an interview with Ulrich. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2026 Trotsky hurled items from the desk at Mercader before wresting the ice pick from his grip. Josh Ireland, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026 Having wrested himself from Russia after the invasion of Ukraine, the great choreographer has sought to remake himself and his work in Denmark. Marina Harss, The New York Review of Books, 19 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrest
Verb
  • In schemes orchestrated with Iza, Coberg arranged a fake drug arrest and stood guard while a victim was extorted.
    Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
  • At least three organizations have been extorted and suffered hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages after proprietary information was posted online by IT workers.
    Lisa Cavazuti, NBC news, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Brownwood slips past Godley Brownwood’s Aiden Jimenez broke a 0-0 tie with the game’s only goal, off an assist from Raven Prado, as the Lions earned a 1-0 win over Godley in a Class 4A Division 2 bi-district match on Friday at Briles Stadium in Stephenville.
    Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Mbiya also earned the praise of Kansas coach Bill Self, who called him KU’s second-best player in the game behind superstar Darryn Peterson.
    Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Investigation details released Three adult men were finishing a shooting session when one man removed a magazine, covered the muzzle with his hand and accidentally pulled the trigger, authorities said.
    Doug Myers, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
  • The strong currents from flash floods can pull drivers off roadways.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 22 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • For an affordable meal, grab a cheap lunch at a konoba — a Croatian tavern — tucked away from the main tourist drag.
    Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Mar. 2026
  • Kuechly was called for two defensive fouls as NFL players had trouble grabbing flags.
    Jim Reineking, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Against this backdrop, Cloe Tai, senior manager and head of TV and film at Google, argued that platforms and creators alike must rethink how value is extracted from audiences beyond conventional metrics.
    Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
  • The recycled cotton and polyester are then extracted in batches and spun back into new denim fabric.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The three of us squeezed into our bedroom closet and huddled over my phone.
    Amanda Peet, New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Oil prices would continue to soar, while fertilizer, generic drugs, helium and other products dependent on the strait would grow scarce, squeezing the American economy and world economy alike.
    Nicholas D. Kristof, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • While there’s no hard border between the Republic and Northern Ireland—no passport checks on trains or buses—US and other non-UK travelers are required to obtain an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) to enter Northern Ireland.
    Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Bahrain put forward the proposal, which was obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, as world powers grapple with how to release Iran's chokehold on the crucial waterway, which has sent fuel prices skyrocketing and threatened the world economy.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The moody Moon tugs at vigorous Mars, resulting in a square that puts pressure on your wary 8th house and your typically more light-hearted 5th house.
    Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 24 Mar. 2026
  • The officer grabbed Lugo, with Barkley tugging at Lugo’s arm.
    Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wrest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrest. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

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