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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of wrest
In 2019, Trump’s first administration tried — and failed — to wrest Fannie and Freddie from the government conservatorship that’s been in place since the 2008 financial crisis.
—
Samantha Delouya, CNN, 13 Mar. 2025
Benjamin Mako Hill, a professor at the University of Washington who co-authored a research paper on the Croatian Wikipedia debacle, told me that contributors without a political agenda were eventually able to wrest control back, banning a small group of Fascist apologists from editing articles.
—Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2025
Because tariffs are, effectively, a tax on U.S. businesses that rely on foreign goods to operate, the argument goes, the President cannot wrest this power from Congress.
—Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025
He’s tried to wrest the power of the purse from Congress, targeted political opponents for speech, had people flown to a foreign prison without trial, ignored court orders and generally taken it upon himself to test the limits of our constitutional order.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wrest
Samantha Delouya, CNN, 13 Mar. 2025
Benjamin Mako Hill, a professor at the University of Washington who co-authored a research paper on the Croatian Wikipedia debacle, told me that contributors without a political agenda were eventually able to wrest control back, banning a small group of Fascist apologists from editing articles.
—Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2025
Because tariffs are, effectively, a tax on U.S. businesses that rely on foreign goods to operate, the argument goes, the President cannot wrest this power from Congress.
—Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025
He’s tried to wrest the power of the purse from Congress, targeted political opponents for speech, had people flown to a foreign prison without trial, ignored court orders and generally taken it upon himself to test the limits of our constitutional order.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wrest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrest
Verb
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Moira created a hemorrhagic fever and stole the antidote in attempt to extort millions of dollars from biotech executives by threatening another global pandemic.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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When a mentally disturbed neighbor sets herself on fire and a slumlord tries to extort money from them, the family gets tangled in the corruption that keeps a stranglehold on the slum’s inhabitants.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Brunson earned 70 first-place votes, 24 second-place votes, and four votes for third place, hauling in 426 points — 114 more than three-time MVP, Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
24 Apr. 2025
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Smith has upheld Martin’s standard throughout his young career, earning two Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections over his first three seasons.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.—
Stephan Rabimov,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
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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
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Antetokounmpo finished the game by scoring 36 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, and blocking two shots.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Apr. 2025
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Police said that once Davis left the apartment, the surviving 10-year-old quickly grabbed her baby brother, locked the door and called for help.—
Chris Spargo,
People.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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This role leverages your technical skills in algorithms and machine learning to predict outcomes and extract meaningful insights from raw data.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Russian officials have reiterated Putin's rejection of a 30-day full ceasefire proposal, blaming Kyiv for failure in talks and trying to extract U.S. concessions.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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For now, the researchers have left the ship in situ, partially covering it with original soil and squeezing wet sponges onto it to preserve moisture.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
30 Apr. 2025
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The question of whether a modern Phantom can squeeze through the driveway gates remains to be seen.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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According to a transcript obtained by the Associated Press, Bessent warned that negotiations had not officially begun and said progress would be slow.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
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In emails obtained by USA TODAY, Khalil’s lawyers told ICE officials on the morning of April 20 that Abdalla went into labor 8 days earlier than expected.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Infused with a nourishing jojoba complex, the lightweight gel formula won’t tug or break, providing a smooth, moisturizing glide that keeps lips hydrated throughout the day.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
24 Apr. 2025
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In the pantheon of Real Housewives history, there are the ones who come in swinging — wigs tugged, drinks thrown, catchphrases flying.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wrest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrest. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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