as in agonizing
intensely or unbearably painful
forced to make the emotionally wrenching decision to place her mother in a nursing home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in twisting
a forceful rotating or pulling motion for the purpose of dislodging something
after a lot of wrenching and tugging, the plumber managed to pull the stubborn pipe free
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in pulling
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
as in damaging
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure
wrenched her shoulder by all of that heavy lifting
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in tearing
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 wrenching
Sarah Adler
september 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Gut wrenching doesn’t begin to describe it.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2025
This wrenching and ultimately fatal sequence of events puts two design failures in sharp relief.
—David Autor, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2025
The gut-wrenching and inspiring 2018 film has a powerful message about family, addiction and survival.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
The most explosive film at this year’s festival belongs to Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania, who portrays the Israeli army’s 2024 killing of a six-year-old Palestinian girl by recreating the Red Crescent emergency call center where her wrenching calls for help were received.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2025
The film’s all-Palestinian cast — including Motaz Malhees, Clara Khoury and Amer Hlehel — spoke in Venice of the emotionally wrenching mood throughout production.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
The gut-wrenching film uses voice recordings between Hind Rajab and the Red Crescent volunteers who got the emergency call and tried to keep her on the line to get an ambulance to her.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025
Co-starring Andrew Scott as Rodgers and Margaret Qualley as a semi-fictionalized admirer of the closeted Hart, Blue Moon promises to be a wrenching look at a complex and tortured songwriter, with stunning performances to boot.
—Samantha Allen, Them., 2 Sep. 2025
An increasing number of deaths due to malnutrition have also been reported and gut-wrenching images have emerged of suffering children and long food lines.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2025
Lily took her EpiPen, gave herself a second injection and shared a wrenching exchange with her mother.
—Janelle Griffith, People.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
People were calling it tacky, brave, MFA garbage, heart wrenching.
—Sarah Adler
september 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Gut wrenching doesn’t begin to describe it.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2025
This wrenching and ultimately fatal sequence of events puts two design failures in sharp relief.
—David Autor, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025
Verb
By the time Vanderbilt unspools that same iconic, wrenching footage that Kramer used decades ago, its potency feels different.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2025
The gut-wrenching and inspiring 2018 film has a powerful message about family, addiction and survival.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
The most explosive film at this year’s festival belongs to Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania, who portrays the Israeli army’s 2024 killing of a six-year-old Palestinian girl by recreating the Red Crescent emergency call center where her wrenching calls for help were received.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2025
The film’s all-Palestinian cast — including Motaz Malhees, Clara Khoury and Amer Hlehel — spoke in Venice of the emotionally wrenching mood throughout production.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
The gut-wrenching film uses voice recordings between Hind Rajab and the Red Crescent volunteers who got the emergency call and tried to keep her on the line to get an ambulance to her.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025
Co-starring Andrew Scott as Rodgers and Margaret Qualley as a semi-fictionalized admirer of the closeted Hart, Blue Moon promises to be a wrenching look at a complex and tortured songwriter, with stunning performances to boot.
—Samantha Allen, Them., 2 Sep. 2025
An increasing number of deaths due to malnutrition have also been reported and gut-wrenching images have emerged of suffering children and long food lines.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2025
Lily took her EpiPen, gave herself a second injection and shared a wrenching exchange with her mother.
—Janelle Griffith, People.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrenching
Adjective
-
For athletes across all sports, few experiences are as agonizing as being forced to leave competition with a sudden muscle cramp.—
Michael Hales,
The Conversation,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The crux of this tale is now an agonizing decision that Joan has to make, egged on by her rather flighty coordinator Ryan (John Early), who is competing against Anna to make this all work.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Running back Henry Rutledge is awaiting the results of an MRI for a lower-body injury after pulling himself after playing five snaps against North Carolina.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Companies that committed to DEI efforts and made public statements are now pulling back from those policies, editing their websites, disbanding employee resource groups, and quietly abandoning inclusive hiring goals.—
C200,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk this week on a Utah college campus marks the latest example of violence tearing through American politics across centuries and the ideological spectrum.—
Chris Boyette,
CNN Money,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Greenlaw hasn’t played a healthy season since tearing his Achilles in a fluke moment in February 2024’s Super Bowl.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Within the film’s compact running time, writer-director Ben Hania traces the fraught and torturous hours of January 29, 2024, when Palestine Red Crescent volunteers in the West Bank tried to calm a terrified 6-year-old girl and get an ambulance to her in Gaza.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
-
From the almost humorous to the truly torturous, being plunked into unknown wilderness in total isolation—which is what happens on Alone—results in all manner of strange mental phenomenon.—
Woniya Thibeault,
Outside,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The tug-and-pull over GOP members’ demands for more documents and testimony comes as lawmakers juggle the appropriations process and face an end-of-month deadline to fund the government.—
Elizabeth Crisp,
The Hill,
3 Sep. 2025
-
When the state attorney’s office steps in, the prosecution pushes back, resulting in a legal and political tug of war that thrusts Adnan’s case into chaotic uncertainty.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Of course, amid the drama tugging at viewers’ heartstrings, the show will, in following 9-1-1 tradition, feature larger-than-life rescues, including of one tech billionaire (played by Mark Consuelos) who is swallowed by a whale.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
6 Sep. 2025
-
The wind howled, rattling metal signs and tugging at our clothes as the dust swallowed everything in sight.—
Shaun McKinnon,
AZCentral.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Within seconds, officers in full riot gear surged forward in formation, yanking open the doors and pulling the passenger to safety.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Sep. 2025
-
But some lawmakers say that argument is baseless and that yanking the grants has left the state less equipped to prevent tragedies like this week’s attack at Annunciation Catholic School.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
But within those few episodes is a devastating story about a young boy who commits a horrendous crime that unfolds in excruciating detail, with each episode consisting of a single long shot.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
One from the spring of 1977 is excruciating in its details of my humiliation at the hands of a gallerist at what was then the most important photography gallery in New York.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wrenching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrenching. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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