wrench 1 of 2

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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wrench

2 of 2

verb

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
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
  • 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
  • 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

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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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