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
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
22 June 2026
Yeah, that’s the one thing that really throws a wrench into the Guest 2 theory.
—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
20 June 2026
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Its portrayal of overwhelming, gut-wrenching grief could easily leave its characters cynical about love.
—
Dana Feldman,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Noun
Public opposition has thrown a wrench into the AI industry’s sweeping data center construction plans.
—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
22 June 2026
Yeah, that’s the one thing that really throws a wrench into the Guest 2 theory.
—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
20 June 2026
Verb
The footage released by the LAPD on Friday shows the moments leading up to the heart-wrenching scene.
—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Its portrayal of overwhelming, gut-wrenching grief could easily leave its characters cynical about love.
—
Dana Feldman,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrench
Noun
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In a strange twist, the potential buyer reportedly smelled a rat and reached out to someone with the company, to make sure the machinery hadn’t been stolen.
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Then again, and again, stopping each time to adjust for a beat, a movement, the flow of actors in the room, a twist of a hand, an arm thrown that way, not this way.
Noun
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The current federal and state-level policy push shaping how companies deploy AI systems is also experiencing a tug of war.
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The tug of war is also hair-raising because China's approach puts the world's most powerful AI in the hands of bad actors, who could – and likely will – use the models to wreak havoc.
Verb
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Fire alarms sounded after a resident pulled the alarm, prompting crews to evacuate buildings as a precaution.
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Sorloth played high, facilitating Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard to rotate wide and pull deeper to get on the ball.
Verb
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For the past couple of years, volunteers have cut grass, trimmed and yanked out invasive vines.
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Roberts quickly gave up a run-scoring single to Christian Yelich and was yanked with the bases loaded and no outs.
Noun
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Iyer called the case heart-wrenching.
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This can feel challenging and heart-wrenching.
Noun
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For instance, there are glazed pork belly chunks served on crispy tostones, tuna tataki with a jerk-spice rub, and a bright, citrusy conch salad.
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Learn how to cook lionfish ceviche, jerk chicken, and more with a group of like-minded people from all over the world, concluding with an alfresco feast—a true one-of-a-kind connection between strangers.
Verb
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Shakespeare’s haughty Roman war hero, revered on the battlefield yet reviled by hungry plebeians, becomes the flash point in a young democracy tearing itself apart over power and sacrifice.
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That tactic may situate this work within a lineage that includes Jacques Villeglé and Mimmo Rotella, artists who used swiped, torn ads during the postwar era.
Verb
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Video of the incident showed the professor grabbing and twisting the arm of the pro-Palestinian student.
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As police tried to handcuff Sever, the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office said Sever swung at troopers and forcefully grabbed at a trooper's duty weapon, which was secured in a holster.
Cite this Entry
“Wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrench. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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