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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of wrench
Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
Washington — The roughly 20 plumbers of Oak Creek Plumbing & Remodeling in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area don’t just bring toolkits with wrenches, pliers and Teflon tape to customers’ homes these days.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
That more than half of the libretto is in Latin and still manages to wrench hearts is its own marvel.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Noun
Use lockable pliers or a wrench if needed.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
Washington — The roughly 20 plumbers of Oak Creek Plumbing & Remodeling in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area don’t just bring toolkits with wrenches, pliers and Teflon tape to customers’ homes these days.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
Others speak of the heart-wrenching loss of ancestors' graves.
—NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
That more than half of the libretto is in Latin and still manages to wrench hearts is its own marvel.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrench
Noun
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New episodes will air Sundays through December 14, but this week there's a special Halloween twist as HBO Max subscribers get a chance to catch the new episode three days early.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
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Others have incorporated brie and figs for a sweet-savory twist, or used hot pepper sauce for a little extra heat.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Wall Street Journal reports that regardless of how that fiscal tug-of- war turns out, health insurance premiums paid by Americans are expected to rise another 8% or 9% next year.—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
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In the heart of the Amazon Basin, where the borders and cultures of Peru, Colombia and Brazil converge, a tiny, shape-shifting island has become the unlikely setting for a diplomatic tug of war.—
Sarah Hutter,
CNN Money,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The pair took their Clueless looks to the next level by posing in front of a white Jeep just like the one driven by Cher in the movie — with Kim pouting at the wheel as North pulled a shocked face.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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Within seconds, several officers pull her toward the entrance of the facility as others move to hold back the crowd.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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McDaniel even yanked Tagovailoa in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers after his third pick.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
22 Oct. 2025
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Mel Brooks’ best comedy shares many similarities with his other revered films – a strong grip of genre beats, a non-stop barrage of gags yanking us forward, and an eagerness to give every performer a chance to comedically shine.—
Rory Doherty,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Stop Sales sent the raw chicken, cut cow foot and jerk sauce into the garbage.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
20 Oct. 2025
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Because even in a world of monsters, ghouls, and greedy jerks, the good guys still prevail.—
Gwen Ihnat,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The spectroscopic observations have shown that gravitational tidal forces from the white dwarf have torn it apart, scattering debris from the planetary body onto the surface of the white dwarf.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
24 Oct. 2025
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Whitney spends the film torn between exploring her family, friends, Asian bias, and trailblazers in the film industry, and creating a compelling, personable narrative to honor her family legacy.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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People were calling it tacky, brave, MFA garbage, heart wrenching.—
Sarah Adler
September 8,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
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Gut wrenching doesn’t begin to describe it.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Asian restaurant joins what has become an increasingly attractive section of Meridian for grabbing food.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
27 Oct. 2025
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The Clinton years and the 1990s, defined by continuous domestic economic growth and headline-grabbing scandals, were a time when liberal idealism was so strong that Aaron Sorkin wrote a show about it.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrench. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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