wrench

verb \ ˈrench \

|Updated on: 5 Aug 2018

Examples: wrench in a Sentence

Definition of wrench

wrenched; wrenching; wrenches

intransitive verb

1 : to move with a violent twist; also : to undergo twisting

2 : to pull or strain at something with violent twisting

transitive verb

1 : to twist violently

2 : to injure or disable by a violent twisting or straining

wrenched her back

3 : change; especially : distort, pervert

4 a : to pull or tighten by violent twisting or with violence

b : to snatch forcibly : wrest

5 : to cause to suffer mental anguish : rack

—

wrenchingly

play \ˈren-chiŋ-lē\ adverb

See wrench defined for English-language learners

See wrench defined for kids

Examples of wrench in a Sentence

I tried to wrench free from his grip.
I tried to wrench myself free from his grip.
He wrenched his back when he tried to lift a heavy box.
She wrenched the toy from his grasp.
The statue was wrenched from its pedestal.

Recent Examples of wrench from the Web

Dan Fogelman, the creator of your favorite gut-wrenching NBC drama, has taken his writing skills to the big screen for a feature-length film that will melt even the coldest of hearts.

— kelly o'sullivan, Country Living, "The Trailer for 'Life Itself', a New Film from the Creator of 'This Is Us', Will Shatter Your Heart," 10 July 2018
But within minutes after that 2:43 p.m. tweet Thursday, a devastating shooting in a suburban office building prompted reactions that again demonstrated the country’s wrenching divisions.

— marc fisher, Washington Post, "After newsroom shootings, a quick collapse into blame and division," 28 June 2018
The uncertain fate of the children, and wrenching reports of their plight, has created a political firestorm for the White House and a nightmare for the families affected.

— jazmine ulloa, latimes.com, "Trump administration says it won't return children to immigrant parents in custody, but a judge orders families be reunited," 27 June 2018
This year’s Cannes Lions advertising festival, Madison Avenue’s annual jaunt to the French Riviera, showed all the signs of an industry undergoing wrenching change.

— lara o’reilly, WSJ, "Cannes Ad Festival Reflects Advertising’s Changing Guard," 22 June 2018
His crime was not the suppression of dissent or the suspension of constitutional rule — but rather, an attempt to address his nation’s wrenching inequality by redistributing the United Fruit Company’s (UFC) unused land to impoverished peasants.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "We Owe Central American Migrants Much More Than This," 21 June 2018
Letting go of Jackson would be far less emotionally wrenching for the Giants front office, and for Giants fans, and is the more likely first move.

— scott ostler, SFChronicle.com, "Giants may need a changing of the guard: Pence/Jackson out, Slater/Duggar in," 20 June 2018
Being wrenched from parents is every child’s worst nightmare.

— oscar j. benavidez, STAT, "Separating families at the border isn’t just bad policy — it’s horrible for children’s health," 19 June 2018
Pro-Kennedy crowds reached so hungrily to touch him that the campaign had to assign a man to hold him in the car during motorcades—and on one occasion, tumultuous supporters pulled RFK out of the car, wrenching the hip of the man holding him.

— alice george, Smithsonian, "On the Eve of his Death, Robert Kennedy Was a Whirlwind of Empathy and Internal Strife," 7 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wrench.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of wrench

Middle English, from Old English wrencan; akin to Old High German renken to twist and perhaps to Latin vergere to bend, incline

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

wrench Synonyms

Synonyms

twist, wrest, wring;

jimmy, lever, pry;

budge, dislocate, displace, disturb, remove;

shift, transfer, transpose;

wrench

noun

Definition of wrench

1 a : a violent twisting or a pull with or as if with twisting

b : a sharp twist or sudden jerk straining muscles or ligaments; also : the resultant injury (as of a joint)

c : a distorting or perverting alteration

d : acute emotional distress : sudden violent mental change

2 : a hand or power tool for holding, twisting, or turning an object (such as a bolt or nut)

3 : monkey wrench 2

See wrench defined for English-language learners

Examples of wrench in a Sentence

It was a wrench to say goodbye to all my friends.
with a sharp wrench of the hammer I pulled the nail from the board

Recent Examples of wrench from the Web

One last note to throw a wrench in all this theorizing.

— joanna robinson, HWD, "Will Avengers 4 Have Alternate Realities, Miraculous Resurrections, and a Happy Ending?," 2 May 2018
Be prepared and eat well with this compact stainless steel multitool that has a spork, bottle opener, hex wrench, screwdriver and more.

— olivia hall, The Seattle Times, "Gear to turn your day hike into an overnighter," 8 June 2018
The 175-year-old maker of wrenches, hedge trimmers and medical equipment opened an Atlanta office and hired about 100 digital experts in 2014 after studying where the right talent was already living and working.

— lauren weber, WSJ, "Now Fighting for Top Tech Talent: Makers of Turbines, Tools and Toyotas," 31 May 2018
This aluminum tool set from Park Tool is loaded with hex wrenches, a Torx bit, and a screwdriver.

— michael calore, WIRED, "14 Essentials to Improve Your Bike Commute in the City," 17 May 2018
Their lives would explode out of their chairs: razor blades for shaving, small mirrors, wrenches, coins, pens, documents.

— lane hartill, The Christian Science Monitor, "A journey from distrust to teammates," 4 Apr. 2018
The female body has long been an unruly subject, and a favorite one for women writers seeking to throw a wrench into the societal machinery.

— alexandra kleeman, Vanities, "This Novel Provides an Empowering, Grotesque Alternative to Leaning In," 2 July 2018
This could potentially throw a wrench into Ontario’s plan to open 40 cannabis stores by the end of 2018.

— jennie neufeld, Vox, "Vox Sentences: Trump will “maintain family unity” by jailing children with parents," 21 June 2018
If leaks occur, carefully tighten with an adjustable wrench – making one-quarter turns at a time.

— daniel bortz, sacbee, "Four home-improvement jobs you can knock out," 15 June 2018

First Known Use of wrench

1530

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

wrench Synonyms

Other Hardware Terms

adze, auger, awl, chock, ferrule, punch, tang

WRENCH Defined for English Language Learners

wrench

verb

Definition of wrench for English Language Learners

: to twist and pull with a sudden violent motion
: to injure (a part of your body) by making a violent twisting motion
: to take (something) by using force

wrench

noun

Definition of wrench for English Language Learners

: a tool consisting of a handle with one end designed to hold, twist, or turn an object (such as a bolt or nut)
: a violent twisting or pulling movement
: something unpleasant that happens and that causes you to feel emotional pain