1
as in pulled
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
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2
3
as in yanked
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 wrenched
As the plane twisted upward, the air pressure wrenched off another tail fin.
—
Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Experts believe the crown’s flexible mount was strained when thieves wrenched it from its display through a narrow slot cut by the angle grinder, according to a report by the Louvre.
—Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
And yet so much of the film community’s focus has been wrenched out of the past into an urgent present and uncertain future.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
Nellie wrenched her knees closer to her body, began rocking.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
In a moment when even humanitarian work around these regions can be wrenched by bad-faith political agendas, Mustafa’s framing of the purpose of Saturday’s show was savvy and measured.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
And Ahmed al-Ahmed, who came to Australia from Syria in 2006, a former policeman who now owns a fruit stand at Bondi Beach, tackled one of the gunmen and wrenched the rifle from him, even as he was wounded himself.
—Scott Simon, NPR, 20 Dec. 2025
The man then tackled the shooter and wrenched the gun away from him.
—Anders Hagstrom , Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 14 Dec. 2025
In the video, one officer wrenched the bathroom door open.
—Idaho Statesman, 14 Nov. 2025
Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Experts believe the crown’s flexible mount was strained when thieves wrenched it from its display through a narrow slot cut by the angle grinder, according to a report by the Louvre.
—Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
And yet so much of the film community’s focus has been wrenched out of the past into an urgent present and uncertain future.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
Nellie wrenched her knees closer to her body, began rocking.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
In a moment when even humanitarian work around these regions can be wrenched by bad-faith political agendas, Mustafa’s framing of the purpose of Saturday’s show was savvy and measured.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
And Ahmed al-Ahmed, who came to Australia from Syria in 2006, a former policeman who now owns a fruit stand at Bondi Beach, tackled one of the gunmen and wrenched the rifle from him, even as he was wounded himself.
—Scott Simon, NPR, 20 Dec. 2025
The man then tackled the shooter and wrenched the gun away from him.
—Anders Hagstrom , Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 14 Dec. 2025
In the video, one officer wrenched the bathroom door open.
—Idaho Statesman, 14 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrenched
Verb
-
Weathers was charged an additional run after issuing a leadoff walk in the sixth and getting pulled from the game.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The picture represented every second of invisible labor that pulled me away from the little people who mattered most to me, all the work that stole my ability to be present in those moments and remember them, too.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As the smell intensified, Lina crossed to the front door of her apartment, undid the lock, and yanked the sticky door open.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
However, Swalwell’s campaign quickly collapsed as staff members resigned and allies from organized labor to congressional Democrats yanked their support.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sure, the sequence largely swipes away hints given prior that Bowser was an absent father, but in a film where most of the characters veer toward the blandly nice, watching a dad and his son bond over their same sociopathic tendencies was the only moment that tugged at the heartstrings.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Smoldering at the camera, the star—who’s currently dating Scooter Braun—tugged down the straps of the plum-chocolate bra and covered her chest with her hands.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The star guard, who tore her ACL for the first time before her junior year of high school, grappled with injuries throughout her first four seasons with the Huskies, first a foot injury that sidelined her for 11 games in 2021-22, then a knee injury that kept her out of 22 in her sophomore year.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Davis' absence led to the team keeping Kyrie Irving sidelined the entire season after the star guard tore the ACL in his left knee in March 2025.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
We are jerked between past and present as his backstory gets filled in, one jogged memory at a time.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Aisha jerked and opened her eyes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The officer grabbed me and said 'you're arrested,' and just put me in handcuffs and drug and dragged me out.—
Mahsa Saeidi,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Much of the film feels like Cronin grabbed a bunch of different clothes off a rack at a clothing store only to end up wearing a bizarrely mismatched outfit that never really comes together.—
Gregory Nussen,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Beaufort, North Carolina This fishing village with century-old homes, idyllic marinas, and pristine beaches could be plucked from a vintage postcard.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2026
-
With its cast of characters essentially plucked from Fugard’s early life in Port Elizabeth, the play introduces Hally (a stand-in for Fugard) at a crossroads.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Luis Campusano ripped an 0-2 slider for a double to left-center after missing on two sliders.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The junior outfielder/catcher went 3-for-4, ripped a two-run homer and drove in four runs to lead the host Griffins to a 10-4 win over Lemont in Frankfort.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wrenched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrenched. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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