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
In 1968, Palestinians resurrected an independence movement that wrested decision making away from Egypt and other Arab countries that had been humiliated in the Six-Day War.
—
Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
Lack of accountability Still, the report’s criticism of the role of the Haiti National Police and government agents in carrying out human-rights abuses is part of a growing concern about the lack of accountability as security forces try to wrest back control from deadly armed gangs.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2025
But still, the record is a spiritual victory, full of wisdom wrested from audible pain.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Irma, Mussington and some other locals feel, provided a smoke screen for the central government to finally wrest control of the much smaller island away from its residents after years of tension.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wrest
Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
Lack of accountability Still, the report’s criticism of the role of the Haiti National Police and government agents in carrying out human-rights abuses is part of a growing concern about the lack of accountability as security forces try to wrest back control from deadly armed gangs.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2025
But still, the record is a spiritual victory, full of wisdom wrested from audible pain.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Irma, Mussington and some other locals feel, provided a smoke screen for the central government to finally wrest control of the much smaller island away from its residents after years of tension.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wrest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrest
Verb
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His fortune also faced some hits as he was allegedly extorted.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
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Around that time in 2016, an undercover FBI agent approached Donna Adelson purporting to extort her with information about the contract killing on behalf of Rivera.—
Lauren del Valle,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The soap's sensual marketing theme earned mixed reactions on social media, with some users dubbing it a gimmick and questioning the item's cleanliness.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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Hilleary earned more than $213,000 in 2024 as Rose’s chief of staff, similar to several years prior, House office financial disbursement forms show.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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What lingers are the fragments that weren’t rehearsed, a voice breaking, a note pulled from the back of a notebook, a chant that filled the room, a line spoken more to a spouse than to the cameras.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Bolt-action rifles, prized for reliability, require the operator to pull the trigger for one round before manually chambering another round.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Video surveillance from the scene posted online by Fox 11 shows a man lingering near a doorway, quickly grabbing the gift box from a table and running out of the venue.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
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The owner wanted to keep the grab-and-go options previously offered in the space.—
La Risa R. Lynch,
jsonline.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The New Extraction Economy Early colonial powers extracted gold, spices and resources from distant lands while giving little back to local communities.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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Powered by 70% rosemary water, oil, and extract alongside capixyl, this could be a great option for someone interested in a more natural approach, rooted in optimizing overall scalp health.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The shakeups are the latest at a time when restaurants are squeezed between a labor shortage, rising food prices and a loss of customers as diners cut back on spending.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Sep. 2025
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For now, the three youngest each sleep in their own pack-and-plays squeezed into their parents’ bedroom.—
Jeff Truesdell,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Changing attitudes Choi’s original trial reflected just how many obstacles women faced in obtaining justice at the time.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
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The bear was killed in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Region 4, according to a DEC statement obtained by USA TODAY.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Re-reading old text messages may still tug at your heartstrings, but there’s a need to see beyond the fog of illusion.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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This one may have tugged at your deepest insecurities around intimacy, trust, and vulnerability, pushing you to face the places where pride has sometimes acted as a shield.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wrest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrest. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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