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
Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
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
Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
As if losing a gut-wrenching Game 7 weren’t bad enough for Drake and the Toronto Blue Jays, the hits kept coming during the Los Angeles Dodgers’ World Series parade on Monday.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2025
The gut-wrenching loss ensures that the Mariners’ unwanted record as the only team in Major League Baseball never to appear at the Fall Classic remains very much intact.
—George Ramsay, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
But the most important part of the story left unseen in the series is the gut-wrenching violence Gacy inflicted on his victims, both those who died and the few who survived.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 18 Oct. 2025
Levy gives a true breakout performance in the movie, culminating in a series of wrenching scenes as her character bears the weight of her predicament.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
Others speak of the heart-wrenching loss of ancestors' graves.
—NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
The smoke, the fires, the gunshots, the chaos, the terror, the grief — all of it appears in gut-wrenching detail.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
Thursday evening, for the Phillies, was simply about being present after a gut-wrenching loss.
—Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Perhaps the most wrenching scene is one in which Anders, seated alone in a busy café, tunes in to ordinary conversations around him.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 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
The ex-golf professional ended with the gut-wrenching reality of being a top-notch influencer.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
As if losing a gut-wrenching Game 7 weren’t bad enough for Drake and the Toronto Blue Jays, the hits kept coming during the Los Angeles Dodgers’ World Series parade on Monday.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2025
The gut-wrenching loss ensures that the Mariners’ unwanted record as the only team in Major League Baseball never to appear at the Fall Classic remains very much intact.
—George Ramsay, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
But the most important part of the story left unseen in the series is the gut-wrenching violence Gacy inflicted on his victims, both those who died and the few who survived.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 18 Oct. 2025
Levy gives a true breakout performance in the movie, culminating in a series of wrenching scenes as her character bears the weight of her predicament.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
Others speak of the heart-wrenching loss of ancestors' graves.
—NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
The smoke, the fires, the gunshots, the chaos, the terror, the grief — all of it appears in gut-wrenching detail.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
Thursday evening, for the Phillies, was simply about being present after a gut-wrenching loss.
—Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrenching
Adjective
-
The Cincinnati Bengals have endured agonizing losses over the past two weeks, both falling late in the fourth quarter due to a defense that has struggled to make key stops.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The agonizing disease disproportionately impacts black and brown people, many of whom don’t live past their 50s and struggle with heart disease, strokes, kidney disease, and joint problems.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The challenge is less about pulling people off the street and more about improving the quality and capacity of training and integration of Ukrainian infantry into combat brigades.—
Jack Watling,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Nov. 2025
-
After pulling between your teeth to enjoy, the pods are discarded.—
Tammy Algood,
Southern Kitchen,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Suddenly, there’s dozens of supervillains tearing the place (and each other) apart.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Kraft was on pace to have an even stronger year in 2025, having already logged 32 catches for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight games before tearing his ACL.—
Matthew Schmidt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The earnings report is the first by the company following the August close of the merger of Paramount and Skydance after a long and torturous regulatory process.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Waiting for news was torturous.—
Grace White,
Essence,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Neither tug was blatant, but both seemed to impede Allende.—
Henry Bushnell,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Dogs’ favorite bonding activities include playing fetch, tug, or Frisbee.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The aim is practical comfort that could help new parents spend less time adjusting straps or tugging at seams and more time getting through a list that changes by the hour.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Alcaras, meanwhile, keeps tugging at loose threads.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Video of that incident shows a man identified by police as Calhoon lunging across the table, yanking it toward him and flipping it on its side while Turning Point promotional materials spilled onto the pavement.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Ciattarelli promises to lower energy costs immediately by yanking the state out of a regional greenhouse gas initiative, as well as any other environmental policy that voters are sick of.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The voicemail then abruptly turned violent, with McKnight wishing Sheehy an excruciating death.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Longing for my kids to arrive felt excruciating.—
Isobella Jade,
Parents,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wrenching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrenching. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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