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Definition of wrench
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
4a : to pull or tighten by violent twisting or with violenceb : to snatch forcibly : wrest
5 : to cause to suffer mental anguish : rack
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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
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With its two multidimensional leads grappling with each other's ever-changing moods and motives (not least of which their own), Weekend feels like a timidly optimistic slice of life, and its ambiguous ending is gut-wrenching without being a cop-out.
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The gut-wrenching ballad taught us all to not be ashamed of our desires—and nobody follows this rule more than Gomez herself.
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A schedule conflict, necessitating a gut-wrenching decision, likely cost the Notre Dame recruit the title of Miss Softball.
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One heart-wrenching account comes from cashier Katie Orzehowski, who says that her miscarriage almost cost her her job; she was forced to return to work while still bleeding.
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His heart-wrenching book on losing his 8-year-old daughter to cystic fibrosis (Alex: The Life of a Child).
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But for some of us, the path to motherhood takes a gut-wrenching turn.
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Companies in the Ibovespa have held expenses in check, helping gross profit margins expand the past two years even amid a gut-wrenching recession, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
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If your stomach can take it, see below for more of the MUA's gut-wrenching looks.
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
wrench
Definition of wrench
1a : a violent twisting or a pull with or as if with twistingb : a sharp twist or sudden jerk straining muscles or ligaments; also : the resultant injury (as of a joint)c : a distorting or perverting alterationd : 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
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
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For a culture that already isn't great at having conversations about end-of-life issues, that's just a further wrench in how folks emotionally prepare for the inevitable.
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The deeper the turmoil or the bigger the wrench thrown into your plans, the stronger the feeling that your heart’s terrible geography is the new normal, extending in this wretched channel, in just this way, to the end of your life.
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.
First Known Use of wrench
1530
WRENCH Defined for English Language Learners
wrench
playDefinition of wrench for English Language Learners
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: to twist and pull with a sudden violent motion
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: to injure (a part of your body) by making a violent twisting motion
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: to take (something) by using force
wrench
Definition of wrench for English Language Learners
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: a tool consisting of a handle with one end designed to hold, twist, or turn an object (such as a bolt or nut)
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: a violent twisting or pulling movement
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: something unpleasant that happens and that causes you to feel emotional pain
WRENCH Defined for Kids
Definition of wrench for Students
wrenched
;wrenching
1 : to pull or twist with sudden sharp force He wrenched a branch from the tree.
2 : to injure by a sudden sharp twisting or straining I wrenched my knee.
Medical Dictionary
Medical Definition of wrench
: to injure or disable by a violent twisting or straining slipped and wrenched her back
wrench
Medical Definition of wrench
: a sharp twist or sudden jerk straining muscles or ligaments; also : the resultant injury (as of a joint)
Learn More about wrench
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See words that rhyme with wrench Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for wrench Spanish Central: Translation of wrench Nglish: Translation of wrench for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of wrench for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wrench
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