throw/hurl/toss a monkey wrench into

phrase

US, informal
: to damage or change (something) in a way that ruins it or prevents it from working properly
The storm threw a monkey wrench into their plans for a picnic.

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“Throw/hurl/toss a monkey wrench into.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/throw%2Fhurl%2Ftoss%20a%20monkey%20wrench%20into. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.

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