1
as in to pry
to draw out by force or with effort
the boy wrested the book out of his sister's hands
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
4
5
as in to grab
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
wrested open the stuck door of the cabinet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wrest
Hopes for both lower interest rates and a solid economy have helped other areas of the stock market climb recently, wresting leadership away from the Big Tech and AI stocks that dominated the market for years.
—
Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
To correct this imbalance, Americans will likely need to reach for the birch rod once more and wrest back control of the power sector.
—Nick Bowlin, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
At her funeral, mourners wrested her casket from the official pallbearers and carried it aloft through the streets of Cairo, to her burial place.
—Sam Kashner, Air Mail, 27 Dec. 2025
Will Manchester City wrest their crown back?
—Sukhman Singh, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wrest
Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
To correct this imbalance, Americans will likely need to reach for the birch rod once more and wrest back control of the power sector.
—Nick Bowlin, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
At her funeral, mourners wrested her casket from the official pallbearers and carried it aloft through the streets of Cairo, to her burial place.
—Sam Kashner, Air Mail, 27 Dec. 2025
Will Manchester City wrest their crown back?
—Sukhman Singh, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wrest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrest
Verb
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According to the indictment, the two defendants engaged in a racketeering conspiracy, committed multiple murders, engaged in drug distribution and extorted victims.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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The filing also contends McFadden’s comments amounted to an attempt to extort Cunningham into changing her vote and an attempt at bribery.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Bregman played his first nine seasons with the Houston Astros, winning World Series titles in 2017 and 2022 — although the first of those yielded a sign-stealing scandal that earned Bregman and his teammates plenty of scorn.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
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After doing some work onstage, the actor and comedian finally began appearing on-screen in the 1970s, earning small roles in TV shows like Police Woman, The Waltons and The Jeffersons.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Environmental justice and conservation advocates’ push to advance a bill aimed at strengthening California’s Environmental Quality Act stalled, as the measure was pulled from Monday’s hearing agenda.—
Chaewon Chung
Updated January 12,
Sacbee.com,
13 Jan. 2026
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McHale hosted from 2004 to 2015, pulling double duty during the latter half of his time there with his role as Jeff Winger on Community.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Start your very own love affair with Outcrease Retinol Trifecta Serum by grabbing a bottle today, and check out some of Dermelect’s other skin correcting serums and facial oils below.—
Michelle Baricevic,
InStyle,
14 Jan. 2026
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Madison outrebounded Point Loma 36-24, with Stevens grabbing seven and Moore five.—
John Maffei,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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SpaceX's recovery crews typically aims to collect the Dragon capsule and extract its crew within an hour or so of splashdown.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
11 Jan. 2026
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Fantasy accords bring together a variety of notes to create a scent that either can’t be found in nature or can’t be extracted from raw materials.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Panthers squeezed a few end-of-career seasons out of guys such as Dino Ciccarelli and Igor Larionov.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Instead, 2026 is about building both stylish and sensible outfits that can take you from the airport to the streets with maximum versatility without ever squeezing into tight, form-fitting fabric.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Police said that Hounsou was instructed both on how to obtain a temporary protective order and how the eviction process works in the county.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Jan. 2026
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This defendant lied to obtain citizenship while actively engaging in crimes that exploit children.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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His administration’s agenda has tugged the law to its limits on several occasions, and is currently undergoing multiple court battles on issues ranging from immigration to tariffs.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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And while Americans’ overall ideological self-identification looks stable in the aggregate (37% very conservative/conservative, 34% moderate, 25% very liberal/liberal), a January 2025 Gallup poll shows that this steadiness hides tectonic tensions tugging beneath the surface.—
Robert T.F. Downes,
Hartford Courant,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wrest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrest. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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