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
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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
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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
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2
3
as in tears
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
wrenched the post out of the ground
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wrenches
Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Jp Mangalindan, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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
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
-
Fans are already brainstorming twists.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Sep. 2025
-
There are extra-healthy twists on standard breakfast fare, such as buckwheat or chickpea pancakes and mung bean porridge, as well as savory dishes like hummus toast with sunflower seed cheese, radish salad, and pomegranate.—
Kathryn Romeyn,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Firefly makes rockets, space tugs and lunar landers.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Here, fat-tire bicycles seem to outnumber cars, hours are measured in sunscreen applications and tugs on fishing lines, and island nightlife belongs to nesting sea turtles.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Within minutes, the driver pulls back onto the road to haul the feed to an Algoma dairy farm, where livestock will eat it.—
Miranda Dunlap,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Unlacquered brass pulls will also bring out the richness in light ochre, and a lightly veined marble or creamy quartz will add softness, keeping the entire palette feeling expansive.—
Tessa Cooper,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Achilles tears that the Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers suffered during the 2025 playoffs have made the race for the conference wide open this coming season.—
Robert Marvi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
-
In this kind of system, scientists theorize that the black hole tears the neutron star apart before swallowing it, which releases electromagnetic waves.—
Chad Hanna,
The Conversation,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Thing rebels against his master and yanks out his clockwork heart.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
When virtual particle pairs pop into existence at the edge of black holes, sometimes the black hole’s gravity grabs one partner while the other escapes.—
Dipangkar Dutta,
The Conversation,
3 Oct. 2025
-
When Catalina goes into the kitchen to refill her calabash, Frances grabs the box of Thompson paperbacks and makes a run for Ray at the restaurant.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The sequel sees Odenkirk’s Hutch Mansell attempt to take a family vacation, only to cross paths with violent jerks played by Colin Hanks and Sharon Stone.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2025
-
The mechanism feels smooth and sturdy—no awkward jerks or wobbles.—
Zoë Sessums,
Architectural Digest,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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 7 Oct. 2025.
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