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
-
Brent crude, which at one point neared $120 a barrel, pulled back significantly to around $90.—
Alaa Shahine Salha,
semafor.com,
11 Mar. 2026
-
As a result, insurers, oil companies and cargo firms have pulled back from operating in the area or transiting the critical waterway.—
Steve Kopack,
NBC news,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While there is no physical blockade in the strait, Iran has threatened to attack any vessels moving through it, and insurers have yanked their war-risk policies, leaving hundreds of tankers in limbo.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Grand Rapids yanked Sherlock with 44 seconds to play, and the extra man paid off as Jameson Duell scored 15 seconds later to tie the game and send it into overtime.—
Andrew Cornelius,
Twin Cities,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Heartstrings are tugged with relish.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
12 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
-
Decades after the highway first tore through our borough, children here still battle the worst asthma rates nationwide.—
Gustavo Rivera,
New York Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Several of the Grand Canyon’s most popular trails remain closed after devastating wildfires tore through the park.—
Outside,
Outside,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Aisha jerked and opened her eyes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The two stood nose-to-nose on the field when the Steelers player grabbed onto Chase’s facemask, jerked his head and appeared to punch him.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
16 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Tiller also made an impact as a rim protector and grabbed four offensive rebounds.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Ricks grabbed a knife from the kitchen and began to stab Sanchez multiple times, court records showed.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Suffice it to say, my salmon and avocado toast could have been made with stuff caught and plucked that day.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Moss is one of two employees that Virco, a school-furniture maker known for its colorful plastic classroom chairs, plucked from other departments for three-year apprenticeships in tool and die.—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The canines ripped through tough hides, devouring high-fat tissue and leaving carcasses with soft meat on the bone—a perfect meal for ravens who seemed to follow the kill.—
Nidhi Sharma,
Popular Science,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Strong tornadoes and large hail ripped through Illinois and Indiana Tuesday night, leveling homes in their wake and killing two people in northwest Indiana.—
Madeline King,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wrenched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrenched. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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