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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of wrench
Cassie Shortsleeve, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
Leia grabbed a ratchet wrench and tightened some loose bolts on the ship.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 29 Apr. 2026
Andy Rose, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
And the first step in beginning to sell real, substantive hope will require incoming Canucks leadership to make some gut-wrenching decisions while surrounding themselves with a group of advisers of the highest quality.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Noun
Jet lag can also throw a wrench into the works.
—Cassie Shortsleeve, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
Leia grabbed a ratchet wrench and tightened some loose bolts on the ship.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
At this rate, Certik expects victims will lose hundreds of millions of dollars to wrench attacks this year.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
And the first step in beginning to sell real, substantive hope will require incoming Canucks leadership to make some gut-wrenching decisions while surrounding themselves with a group of advisers of the highest quality.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrench
Noun
-
The Tennessee Titans went back to the streets quizzing random people in their schedule reveal in a twist to the team’s 2023 schedule reveal.—
Teresa M. Walker,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
-
These creators made that knowledge far more accessible, producing educational content on everything from building a washday routine and transitioning from relaxers to mastering styles like twist-outs.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
What was remarkable about Newcastle was how one tug on the thread caused Nuno’s players to unravel.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
Aqua Lares, originally known as Giant I, was built as an icebreaking tug in 1974 by the Dutch shipyard IHC Verschure.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
When Evans scored a short-handed goal off the rush, Ruff pulled Lyon for Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Junior Aimee Colson led the Raiders in sacksand total flag pulls this season while senior RonNeisha Thomas led in interceptions.—
Alex Kushel,
Sun Sentinel,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Once, Denise yanked an earring out of Djena’s left ear, tearing the lobe.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
That infuriatingly catchy Kars4Kids donation jingle got yanked off the air in California.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Search the internet and there are coaches and players spotted sniffing the ammonia inhalants before a game, with their instant reactions — a noticeable head jerk or contorted face — going viral.—
Jason Jones,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
Hethington didn’t want to cannibalize his menu with the dish, instead compromising with a jerk lamb shank, and a whole Chinese Trini chicken, an homage to the popular takeout food in Trinidad.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
There was laughter, nervous laughter, lots of nervous laughter, and also tears.—
Roberto Prieto,
Variety,
19 May 2026
-
They were killed when a Russian missile tore through their Kyiv apartment building on May 14, burying them under rubble.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 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
Verb
-
Denise ascended the stairs, yelling at Djena all the way up, then grabbed Djena by the collar and began hitting her.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
To make one, grab a clean, thick sock (preferably a larger one) and fill it with uncooked rice, oats, or flaxseed.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrench. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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