1
as in twist
a forceful rotating or pulling motion for the purpose of dislodging something
with a sharp wrench of the hammer I pulled the nail from the board
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in tug
the act or an instance of applying force on something so that it moves in the direction of the force
with one final hard wrench I was able to pull the cork from the bottle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to pull
to move by or as if by a forceful rotation
with one last sharp yank, he wrenched the lid off the bottle of ketchup
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
3
as in to yank
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
wrenched the post out of the ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of wrench
Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 30 May 2025
In fact, thanks to a hooked indentation on the inside of one of its jaws, the wrench actually triples as a bottle opener.
—Ben Coxworth
may 27, New Atlas, 27 May 2025
Josh Patterson, Outside Online, 4 June 2025
At the back, inmates had wrenched a metal bathroom fixture from the wall, exposing a narrow hole where steel bars were sawed off.
—Jon Schuppe, NBC news, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Noun
After a few moments, the suspect pulled out a wrench and struck the bus driver on the forehead with it.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 30 May 2025
In fact, thanks to a hooked indentation on the inside of one of its jaws, the wrench actually triples as a bottle opener.
—Ben Coxworth
may 27, New Atlas, 27 May 2025
Verb
Meet Our Tester Josh Patterson has been riding and wrenching on bikes for 20 years and, with a master’s degree in journalism, has been writing about the sport for more than half of that time.
—Josh Patterson, Outside Online, 4 June 2025
At the back, inmates had wrenched a metal bathroom fixture from the wall, exposing a narrow hole where steel bars were sawed off.
—Jon Schuppe, NBC news, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrench
Noun
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Players can also call out previous issues of their comics to help provide plot twists and other important background information.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
-
The showdown of General Zod and his henchmen also takes place at the Fortress, with a great twist to defeat them.—
Daryl Baxter,
Space.com,
11 July 2025
Noun
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The 18-year-old, who goes by the nickname Eliza rather than Elizabeth, opened up about the emotional tug of war between honoring her own identity and meeting her family’s expectations in a recent Reddit post.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
6 July 2025
-
Aim to finish with a clear success - whether that's catching the toy or winning a tug game.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 July 2025
Verb
-
Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.—
Stephan Rabimov,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
-
The 13-minute performance will likely call for a healthy dose of vibrant, colored lighting to pull it all together.—
Kelly Allen,
House Beautiful,
10 Feb. 2023
Verb
-
The injunction holds that the administration is blocked from yanking Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, which was based on a May 22 revocation notice the Department of Homeland Security sent to Harvard administrators.—
Emily Berk,
NBC news,
20 June 2025
-
There was a collective gasp when Ohtani yanked a pitch that sailed to the backstop, allowing Tatis to get to second base.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 June 2025
Noun
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Lisa and Jody are mad that Larsa was a jerk at Jody’s birthday party.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
26 June 2025
-
Based on my experience, labeling someone a contrarian is just an extremely polite way of calling out a person for being a jerk who’s obsessed with the sound of their own voice.—
Sherry Kuehl,
Kansas City Star,
25 June 2025
Verb
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Governor Phil Murphy responded Thursday night to a deadly line of severe thunderstorms that tore through Central New Jersey, killing three people and leaving tens of thousands without power.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
-
The bodies of the doctor, his wife, daughter and son-in-law, arrived at Shifa Hospital torn into pieces, according to Issam Nabhan, head of the nursing department at the Indonesian Hospital.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
3 July 2025
Verb
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My father seemed to crumple a little, shuddering, grabbing the edge of his desk to steady himself.—
Ottessa Moshfegh,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
-
Now, folks heading to Shenandoah National Park or beyond can grab some gas, hit the jerky wall, nab a Dr Pepper Icee, load up on fudge, use the famously clean bathrooms, and stock up on Buc-ee’s merch before heading back out on the road.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
30 June 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, boats all along the southwest shore were being swamped or ripped from their moorings and piling up on rocks or beaches, often crashing into other vessels.—
George Skelton,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2025
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And, Roman says, a vital support system was ripped away: public services.—
Meg Anderson,
NPR,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrench. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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