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
Relevance
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
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Recent Examples of wrench
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
12 June 2026
Amid the questions about state funding, a progressive advocacy group also attempted to throw a wrench in the city’s plans last week.
—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
10 June 2026
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Savannah stepped back from her role on Today at the time, sharing a number of gut-wrenching pleas to the public with the hope of finding her mother.
—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Noun
But, of course, the political climate in the Middle East threw a wrench in those plans.
—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
12 June 2026
Amid the questions about state funding, a progressive advocacy group also attempted to throw a wrench in the city’s plans last week.
—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
10 June 2026
Verb
And this wrenching essay from visual artist and poet Kennedy Amenya Gisege considers the unique spiritual toll that incarcerated parents face.
—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Savannah stepped back from her role on Today at the time, sharing a number of gut-wrenching pleas to the public with the hope of finding her mother.
—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrench
Noun
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In a strange twist, the potential buyer reportedly smelled a rat and reached out to someone with the company, to make sure the machinery hadn’t been stolen.
-
Then again, and again, stopping each time to adjust for a beat, a movement, the flow of actors in the room, a twist of a hand, an arm thrown that way, not this way.
Noun
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If all goes well, Katalyst's space tug (it's called Link) will lift the Swift observatory into a higher, safer orbit — one that will add years of life to the aging space telescope's mission.
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The clash between the two dynamics — one extolling beauty, the other detailing gruesome crimes — makes for an oil-vinegar mix that speaks to the tug of war women experience between using the beauty versus their brains.
Verb
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This seasonal turn pulls you toward a time of reflection.
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To pull it off, the show’s creative team had to build a rock star from the ground up, crafting a visual identity, creating music that could stand on its own outside the series, and transforming Reid into a performer capable of owning a crowd rather than simply acting in front of one.
Verb
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Within days of its release, Anthropic’s most sophisticated public AI model was abruptly yanked from customers.
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With two outs and a runner on, Sasaki yanked a splitter to the inside edge of the strike zone to Gunnar Henderson, who lifted it over the wall in right field.
Noun
-
Iyer called the case heart-wrenching.
-
This can feel challenging and heart-wrenching.
Noun
-
This Jamaican restaurant, located just off Main Street, brings Caribbean flavors to Mackinac Island’s solid rotation of restaurants, with planked whitefish and jerk chicken sandwiches.
-
After Game 4, jerks were throwing things at Victor Wembanyama.
Verb
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As the aircraft approached Atlantic City, a portion of one of the main rotor blades separated, the NTSB report showed, tearing the transmission and rotor apart and sending the helicopter crashing onto the Garden State Parkway.
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Mara will have to avoid OKC’s first-round curse, as each of the Thunder’s last two lottery picks have torn an ACL before their rookie seasons.
Verb
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There is an art to cutting a cantaloupe, which starts long before grabbing the knife and cutting board.
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Schmidt can be forgiven for making this headline-grabbing prediction.
Cite this Entry
“Wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrench. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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