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
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 June 2026
As Illinois senators worked on a compromise bill, another wrench got tossed into the works.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026
Cassandra Burke Robertson, The Conversation, 27 May 2026
The love story — spirited and wrenching — begins with the meet-cute in a Los Angeles high school of introverted skateboarder AJ and gutsy surfer Kristen.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Noun
Brace the blade with your scrap wood, then use a wrench to tighten it.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 June 2026
As Illinois senators worked on a compromise bill, another wrench got tossed into the works.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026
Verb
The new policy memorandum, however, could force families like hers to make wrenching choices, sending one member of a couple out of the country with no guarantee they would be allowed back in.
—Cassandra Burke Robertson, The Conversation, 27 May 2026
The love story — spirited and wrenching — begins with the meet-cute in a Los Angeles high school of introverted skateboarder AJ and gutsy surfer Kristen.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrench
Noun
-
Despite the surge of trendy braids, old-school looks, like flat twists, boneless braids, and cornrows, also have a strong presence this summer, especially among those interested in length retention and damage repair.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
18 June 2026
-
This more traditional twist-in design mimics that kind of packability, with a collapsible base that separates into smaller pieces.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
In the last two months, alligators have been spotted sitting on a front porch, playing tug of war with police officers, walking from house to house, and on Tuesday, June 9, one was found shot to death.—
Eva Flowe
June 12,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
-
Cleaner airport operations Still, the aircraft tug does far more than just slash emissions.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
The strong currents from flash floods can pull drivers off roadways.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
14 June 2026
-
The strong currents from flash floods can pull drivers off roadways.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
The announced attendance was a capacity 80,663, which is a little under 2,000 less than full capacity for the Giants and Jets as seats had to be yanked out down low to fit the regulation soccer field into MetLife Stadium.—
Andy Clayton,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
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An abrupt sell-off in once-soaring artificial intelligence stocks yanked Wall Street sharply lower, erasing five weeks of gains and knocking the Standard & Poor’s 500 index, Dow and Nasdaq into broad retreat.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 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
Noun
-
This Jamaican restaurant, located just off Main Street, brings Caribbean flavors to Mackinac Island’s solid rotation of restaurants, with planked whitefish and jerk chicken sandwiches.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
13 June 2026
-
After Game 4, jerks were throwing things at Victor Wembanyama.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Iranian Americans are torn over Iran’s participation in the World Cup, as some community members plan to watch today’s match and others plan to protest outside the stadium where the team will play.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
-
The muscle had torn in half, and doctors feared permanent damage to the nerves in his calf.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Grant asks Chris about the boxing gloves now for sale in the night store, but Katie forestalls him by running over and grabbing them, nearly flattening Chris.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
-
Demonstrators grabbed bricks from the ground to throw at police, as tear gas was deployed in Geneva's streets, witnesses told Reuters.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrench. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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