wrench

verb

\ˈrench

wrenched; wrenching; wrenches

Definition of wrench

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

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

b : to snatch forcibly : wrest

5 : to cause to suffer mental anguish : rack

wrench

noun

Definition of wrench (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : 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 sense 2

Other Words from wrench Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about wrench

Keep scrolling for more

Synonyms for wrench

Synonyms: Verb

twist, wrest, wring

Synonyms: Noun

twist, twisting, wrenching, wresting, wringing

Examples of wrench in a Sentence

Verb

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.

Noun

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 on the Web: Verb

The inspiration is obviously the gut-wrenching opening of Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, but Avery amps up the story with the sensibilities of a modern video game. — Bryan Bishop, The Verge, "Overlord is a gloriously entertaining piece of B-movie schlock," 9 Nov. 2018 All in all, the coaster has a total length of 3,118 feet and lasts just 59 gut-wrenching seconds. — Julia Fawal, Woman's Day, "10 Things You Never Knew About Roller Coasters," 24 July 2015 The capsule passengers' orientation will shift: Imagine tipping over your chair, and that brief but gut-wrenching free-fall. — Michael Belfiore, Popular Mechanics, "Say Hello to Stratolaunch, the World's Largest Plane," 17 Apr. 2012 The family dramedy is not all heart-wrenching fights and impossible issues. — Katie Walsh, The Seattle Times, "‘Instant Family’: a heartwarming and hilarious adoption tale with Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne," 14 Nov. 2018 Each of the siblings uses the knowledge differently, to profound and often heart-wrenching effects. — Marie Claire, "These Are the Best Books of 2018, According to Our Editors," 15 Oct. 2018 New technology will allow people to hear his heart-wrenching experience firsthand for decades, maybe even centuries – via an interactive hologram. — Michelle Chavez, Fox News, "Future generations can speak to Holocaust survivors – via hologram technology," 25 July 2018 Because Iris had little opportunity to make a life for herself and her son in Honduras, said Mancia, her daughter had to make a heart-wrenching decision. — NBC News, "Here's how hard it is to find a migrant kid who has been separated from his mom," 25 June 2018 For many, the end of TPS represents making a gut-wrenching life-or-death decision. — Fabiola Santiago, miamiherald, "Another separation crisis looms – this time for some 273,000 American children," 12 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Tariffs throw a wrench into pricing calculations and eat into profit margins. — Ruth Simon, WSJ, "‘We Are at the Limit’: Trump’s Tariffs Turn Small Businesses Upside Down," 8 Aug. 2018 Slow your roll on the Hailey X Shawn ship because something is here to seriously throw a wrench into this cute AF alleged couple theory. — Victoria Rodriguez, Seventeen, "Shawn Mendes and Hailey Baldwin's Relationship Timeline," 27 July 2018 Then use an adjustable wrench to loosen and unscrew the old showerhead. — Daniel Bortz, sacbee, "Four home-improvement jobs you can knock out," 15 June 2018 For Older faucets: use wrench to undo retaining nuts, remove headgear, and reveal old washer. — The Editors Of House Beautiful, House Beautiful, "How to Fix a Clogged Sink and Leaky Faucet," 11 Feb. 2015 Meanwhile, an underground collective of art terrorists monkey-wrenches billboards and other mediums of the Man, and the lumpen-telemarketers left behind by Cash rally to unionize. — Ty Burr, BostonGlobe.com, "Why we should be thankful for ‘Sorry to Bother You’," 11 July 2018 One day, the guy working the gas pipes under a house stuck his head out and asked me for a specific wrench. — Marc Myers, WSJ, "Charley Pride on His Mother’s Words That Led to Country Stardom," 12 June 2018 Two years ago, the draft-day wrench was left tackle Laremy Tunsil unexpectedly dropping to Miami after a video surfaced that showed Tunsil smoking from a bong. — Chris Perkins, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Dolphins seem likely to select linebacker, defensive tackle and tight end in NFL draft," 22 Apr. 2018 Alabama had a wrench thrown into its quarterback competition early in spring camp when Tua Tagovailoa broke his left index finger, which is his throwing hand. — Tim Bielik, cleveland.com, "How Michigan's spring season ended with a closed scrimmage: Buckeye Breakfast," 16 Apr. 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.