wrench 1 of 2

Definition of wrenchnext
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

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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

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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

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2
as in to damage
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure wrenched her shoulder by all of that heavy lifting

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3

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wrench
Noun
But as the Paramount-WBD merger shows, with the deal now held up because of an antitrust suit brought by state AGs, any wrench in the process can become a major holdup to dealmaking. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026 When referee Rick Knox confiscated the belt, Christian loaded up his wrist brace with a wrench. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Verb
The driver wrenched the Jeep to the left, arm over arm churning at the wheel. — Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026 After her Acura was rear-ended in May 2022, a car crash that wrenched her neck and back, Samantha Roper sought out a chiropractor. — Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrench
Noun
  • There’s a playfulness, also seen in the Regent Experience Agent’s classic-with-a-twist ensembles, that feels young and fresh even if the brand has a discreet opulence about it.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Insanely good casting and no twists to overcomplicate things.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Electric tugs docked alongside an LNG carrier being loaded at the LNG Canada docks in Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada, on Monday, July 14, 2025.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
  • There's Teddy, of course, who may be warming up to visitors one kiss — and possibly one hair tug — at a time.
    — Wakisha Bailey, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The backstory Wynn Las Vegas opened in 2005 on the site of the old Desert Inn, with Encore following in 2008; the big move was pulling spectacle inside instead of giving it away free at the curb.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Swift pulled from a few melodramatic thrillers throughout the years.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Zabransky was the first person to reach Rabb in the end zone, yanking him into the air for a bear hug.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 3 Oct. 2026
  • There’s also an ending that revels in a form of catharsis — for the audience watching the play, not the movie — before yanking that, too, away.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Iyer called the case heart-wrenching.
    — Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 8 May 2026
  • This can feel challenging and heart-wrenching.
    — Cori Sears, The Spruce, 22 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Bella’s childhood friend Angus (Jake Simmance), a corporate jerk, condescendingly probes Johnny about his career.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
  • There was significant excitement over the first-look footage revealing perhaps the world’s biggest movie star transforming himself to become a portly, gray-haired jerk in an offbeat feature focusing on climate change.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • There are infectious disease outbreaks that tear through the women’s asylum, pre-antibiotics and vaccines, but there is also Lucia Strangman, one of Europe’s first female doctors, who rises to these challenges and then some.
    — Robert Sullivan, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2026
  • While her brother is torn between his sister and power, a devastating secret will reveal that neither resistance nor sacrifice is enough to stop oblivion.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Over the course of Next Gen NYC’s season, which ended this past week, the model Ava Dash grabs a slice of pizza on Fulton Street; strolls through the Seaport; and calls her father, the hip-hop mogul Damon Dash, from a bench at Pier 17.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Stop in today to bid farewell and grab one last fresh burger, hand cut fries and premium ice cream sundae.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 28 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrench. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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