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
Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 7 Apr. 2026
Another wrench is thrown into the mix when Aunt Lydia asks Agnes to welcome Daisy (Lucy Halliday), a Pearl Girl, into the fold.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
Monday night proved to be a gut-wrenching Toronto Blue Jays debut for starting pitcher Cody Ponce.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Noun
In December, the USPS introduced a new auction process enabling retailers and logistics carriers to bid on access to its last-mile delivery network in a move that surprised Amazon, and likely threw a wrench in the contract negotiations between both parties.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 7 Apr. 2026
Another wrench is thrown into the mix when Aunt Lydia asks Agnes to welcome Daisy (Lucy Halliday), a Pearl Girl, into the fold.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
Ochoa’s snide speech about his privileged private school becomes a wrenching aria of desolation and need.
—Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
Monday night proved to be a gut-wrenching Toronto Blue Jays debut for starting pitcher Cody Ponce.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrench
Noun
-
The Ritz-Carlton Atlanta Located within walking distance of the Peachtree train station, Georgia Aquarium, and Centennial Olympic Park, The Ritz-Carlton Atlanta gives classic luxury a contemporary twist.—
Ellie Nan Storck,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Apr. 2026
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Even in the harshest descriptions of the violence and almost unbelievably cruel twists of fate that Yarris endured (the DNA testing keeps getting accidentally mucked up), Brody lends him a vital indomitable spark.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In space, the gravitational tugs from passing planets act like those currents.—
Patrick M. Shober,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The tug reportedly struck an object and was taking on water.—
Tiffany Watson,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But the next morning, the equipment had to be pulled.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Many Democrats are pulling endorsements and demanding Swalwell exit the race.—
Diana Paulsen,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Filial duty yanked him right back to Passyunk Avenue, flipping Australian rib-eye alongside a patriarch who rested only on Sunday afternoons.—
Danielle Paquette The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
12 Apr. 2026
-
But cystic fibrosis was a tether, yanking O’Neal back home for treatments.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This was just the beginning of us young anarchists becoming judgmental jerks.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Dear Jay Norvell, try not to be a complete @#$&%# jerk.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The war, now in its seventh week, has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as a great deal of shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have torn through military and civilian infrastructure across the region.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
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The war, now in its seventh week, has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have torn through military and civilian infrastructure across the region.—
Munir Ahmed,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This can feel challenging and heart-wrenching.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
22 Jan. 2026
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Such is the case in Quiara Alegría Hudes’s wrenching and mordant debut novel, The White Hot, in which 26-year-old April Soto hits her breaking point and walks out on her 10-year-old daughter, Noelle.—
Ruth Madievsky,
The Atlantic,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Cynthia proceeds to call Porsha, and Angela grabs the phone, executing an amazing assist like her baller husband, and forces Porsha to speak directly to Kelli.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
13 Apr. 2026
-
As soon as the door opens, Sadie jumps up to greet Koch before darting off to grab a toy, bounding back toward Koch with her tail still wagging.—
Shafiq Najib,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrench. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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