1
as in twists
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 tugs
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 pulls
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 tears
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 wrenches
Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Torque wrenches are used to apply a specific amount of torque to a nut or bolt.
—Keenan Thompson, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
Washington — The roughly 20 plumbers of Oak Creek Plumbing & Remodeling in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area don’t just bring toolkits with wrenches, pliers and Teflon tape to customers’ homes these days.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
Hearts, bathrobes, skulls, hammers, wrenches, Pinocchio and self-portraits constantly reappear throughout his practice, each revisited with new intensity and meaning over time.
—Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
Gudsen, unmasked earlier as one of the two serial arsonists she's been hunting, unbuckles her seat belt and wrenches the wheel, sending them into a crash designed to kill her.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
As a woman whose dawning realization infests and wrenches apart her family, Collette turns in one of the most towering horror performances in memory.
—Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Torque wrenches are used to apply a specific amount of torque to a nut or bolt.
—Keenan Thompson, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
Washington — The roughly 20 plumbers of Oak Creek Plumbing & Remodeling in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area don’t just bring toolkits with wrenches, pliers and Teflon tape to customers’ homes these days.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
Hearts, bathrobes, skulls, hammers, wrenches, Pinocchio and self-portraits constantly reappear throughout his practice, each revisited with new intensity and meaning over time.
—Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
The director wrenches apart Ibsen’s terse and precise mechanism and makes room for a proliferation of arresting moments—caught on the wing in wide-screen images, thanks to Sean Bobbitt’s cinematography—that balance tragedy and horror with excitement and wonder.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
Gudsen, unmasked earlier as one of the two serial arsonists she's been hunting, unbuckles her seat belt and wrenches the wheel, sending them into a crash designed to kill her.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrenches
Noun
-
With unpredictable twists and emotions running high, this Halloween is especially chaotic, and Mutable signs — Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces — can't imagine what's in store.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Below you’ll find the tried-and-true classics, plus a few fresh twists that prove the modern table’s got it all.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Less obvious is how the Earth itself tugs at the solid rocky surface of the moon.—
Nola Taylor Tillman,
Space.com,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Throughout his time at the Palace, several women have reported feeling tugs on their hair or having the sensation that someone is lingering right over their shoulder.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Gold pulls Alté maven Cruel Santino, Nigerian pop star Davido, and Zimbabwean-Australian rapper Tkay Maidza across two songs that embrace the spirit of South African house music.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Whether Grier pulls the trigger on a trade will likely depend on what’s offered, and for who.—
Omar Kelly
Updated October 31,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Whatever pulls them together may also be the thing that tears them apart.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
-
First released in 2020 on South Africa’s M-Net, a division of MultiChoice, and now a Canal Plus company, the thriller about how a family tears itself apart in a succession battle built a huge fandom in South Africa and fame abroad.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Suddenly, someone in the audience yanks her violently into the screaming mass of people.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
10 Oct. 2025
-
In each Whatever After novel, a magic portal yanks the main character, Abby, out of her comfortable life and thrusts her into another reality.—
Sarah Mlynowski,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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After Grace quotes Zooey Deschanel's character, Thames grabs her face and kisses her out of the frame.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
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Another strong Lions performance could mark a turning point this season where Detroit grabs control of the division and doesn't look back.—
Nick Meyer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Gave the two jerks her very best.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Because even in a world of monsters, ghouls, and greedy jerks, the good guys still prevail.—
Gwen Ihnat,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The dog jumps up and plucks the burger from her—a move that left viewers stunned and amused by the canine's flawless execution.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
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There may be even greater reasons to put an ad that plucks the heartstrings in front of a broader crowd.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wrenches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrenches. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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