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
-
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
-
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
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
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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Order fish tacos or fresh salads at Bad Boy Burrito; grab at coffee at Cafe Moka; shop for clothing and gifts at Miss Monroe Boutique; and browse the open-air stalls at boo kee sue Botanics for handmade textiles, ceramics, and more.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
12 July 2025
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To find your nearest 7-Eleven and grab a free Slurpee, search the store locator on 7-Eleven's website.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
Trump tear-gasses children, rips them from their parents, and deports farmworkers.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
-
Trees that are 100 years old just ripped out of the ground.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrench. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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