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
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
Cassie Shortsleeve, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
Leia grabbed a ratchet wrench and tightened some loose bolts on the ship.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 29 Apr. 2026
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
It’s based on the dramatic and emotionally wrenching personal life of Southern Gothic author Carson McCullers, a physically frail but powerful novelist, adept at portraying the loneliness and isolation of misfits and outcasts.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Noun
Jet lag can also throw a wrench into the works.
—Cassie Shortsleeve, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
Leia grabbed a ratchet wrench and tightened some loose bolts on the ship.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
And thus the audience is stuck with this scenario, which complicates in intensity and with a linguistic relish that has its funny moments (for some, anyway), but also features a lot of crudity that really wrenches you away from the typical landscape of the classy, urban American farce.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
It’s based on the dramatic and emotionally wrenching personal life of Southern Gothic author Carson McCullers, a physically frail but powerful novelist, adept at portraying the loneliness and isolation of misfits and outcasts.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrench
Noun
-
The Tennessee Titans went back to the streets quizzing random people in their schedule reveal in a twist to the team’s 2023 schedule reveal.—
Teresa M. Walker,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
-
These creators made that knowledge far more accessible, producing educational content on everything from building a washday routine and transitioning from relaxers to mastering styles like twist-outs.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Give the potato a gentle tug to check for resistance.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
10 May 2026
-
Kalundborg, Denmark — On a boat off Kalundborg harbor, Martin Høgh Sørensen steers while his wife, Karin, and friends Michael and Anne-Louise Eliasen tug and wind ropes to maneuver the sails.—
Anna Cooban,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The weeds can be pulled, hoed or treated with herbicides that permit use near trees.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
-
The coach also pulled small groups of challenging students out of Lignore’s class to teach them social and emotional skills and helped Lignore make and consistently use behavior charts with her students.—
Stacker,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Now, the Sentinel has learned, Florida is taking an inconsistent approach to cleaning up its mess, yanking the licenses of 47 nurses who attended schools cited by the FBI but allowing others to keep working, even when it has been alerted to their shortcomings.—
Annie Martin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
-
On Tuesday, Carr tweeted that the FCC was wrong to yank an $886 million broadband-buildout award from SpaceX in 2022 on the grounds that Starlink could not meet speed requirements throughout its service areas and would cost too much.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Emerson had a 290 in the clean-and-jerk and 235 in the snatch (525 total) in the 154-pound weight class.—
Alex Kushel,
Sun Sentinel,
9 May 2026
-
McKenzie was even more ahead of the pack in the Traditional style, which couples each lifter’s best bench press with their clean-and-jerk mark.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Fudd first tore her right ACL and MCL in April 2019 at a USA Basketball event and then tore the same ACL and her medial meniscus during a UConn practice in November 2023.—
Brian Hamilton,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
Their account is corroborated by another survivor, according to the report, who also spoke about hearing the rapes, as well as others who later saw the bodies of the victims, their clothes torn, legs spread and intimate areas mutilated.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
12 May 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
Verb
-
Executives said the focus this year has been on grabbing the biggest audiences and on how artificial intelligence is improving data and outcomes.—
Lillian Rizzo,
CNBC,
11 May 2026
-
Reid played a big role in the season-saving quarter as well, scoring six points, grabbing three boards and picking up two assists, including a no-look dish to Gobert for a dunk with three minutes to play.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrench. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
