wrest

1
as in to pry
to draw out by force or with effort the boy wrested the book out of his sister's hands

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2
as in to extort
to get (as money) by the use of force or threats vowed that the bully had wrested his lunch money from him for the last time

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3
as in to earn
to get with great difficulty farmers who were used to wresting a living from the harsh land

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4
5
as in to grab
to separate or remove by forceful pulling wrested open the stuck door of the cabinet

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wrest Charlie Hunnam plays Arthur, who must rise to glory Gladiator style after his evil uncle (Jude Law) wrests away control of the kingdom following his dad’s killing. Will Leitch, Vulture, 27 May 2025 In April, Hogg unveiled a $20 million initiative targeted at wresting Democratic incumbents from positions of power and replacing them with new candidates. Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 19 May 2025 We are led through the intricately improbable negotiations by which the Bronfman family, from Montreal, eager for a piece of Hollywood, managed to wrest Universal away from Lew Wasserman. Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 19 May 2025 His 101 days in government have been stormy, and his series of interviews this week — including Wednesday’s session with reporters from major newspapers and television networks — appeared to be an effort to wrest back control of the messaging. Jonathan Swan, New York Times, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for wrest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrest
Verb
  • Mexico City band Molotov decry state agents who extort the same communities that pay their salaries, and make a plea for power to be returned to the people.
    Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
  • But when Arthur is released unharmed, rumors fly that the whole thing was a plot contrived by the son to extort money from his father.
    Caroline Fraser June 10, Literary Hub, 10 June 2025
Verb
  • Simpson pitched two innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits, including a three-run homer by Drake Baldwin.
    Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 22 June 2025
  • Canning allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits, walked two and struck out four over five innings.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 22 June 2025
Verb
  • Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.
    Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
  • The 13-minute performance will likely call for a healthy dose of vibrant, colored lighting to pull it all together.
    Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 10 Feb. 2023
Verb
  • One four-person crew in a 24-foot open-bow MasterCraft grabbed their life jackets, wisely abandoned the boat and swam to shore.
    George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2025
  • Watching robots like Barb and Peter grab your order in just seconds is pretty impressive, but what's even more remarkable is that this technology is already making shopping quicker, safer, and a whole lot easier.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Also featured are Alta Resource Technologies, using computational biochemistry to extract critical minerals like neodymium and gallium from e-waste, and Tidal Metals, which is pioneering magnesium extraction from seawater through a novel vapor adsorption system.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • That's been his dream since 2001, when Barron's then-tennis partner asked him to invest in a first-of-its-kind project to extract gold and other metals from a hydrothermal vent off the coast of Papua New Guinea.
    Daniel Ackerman, NPR, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Paul Blackburn, with plenty of starting experience for Oakland, could squeeze into the picture too – especially if the Mets decide to try a six-man rotation that would save wear and tear on each man.
    Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
  • When pancake is ready to flip, squeeze the cinnamon mixture into a swirl shape on top of the pancake batter, pressing the tip of the bag slightly into the batter.
    Elizabeth Nelson, Southern Living, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • That application, obtained by The Associated Press, also offers some of the first financial details about the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and its work in the territory.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 22 June 2025
  • In footage obtained by South Tahoe Now, boats are seen in rough water amid strong winds.
    Escher Walcott, People.com, 22 June 2025
Verb
  • Some brushes can tug, cause static, or pull too harshly at delicate strands, leading to unnecessary damage over time.
    Daisy Maldonado, Glamour, 20 June 2025
  • Two strong lumbermen with spiked poles pushed and tugged at the logs, slowly opening a passage.
    Robeson Bailey, Outdoor Life, 11 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wrest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrest. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

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