as in twisting
a forceful rotating or pulling motion for the purpose of dislodging something
no amount of wresting could loosen the rusted bolt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in pulling
to draw out by force or with effort
the boy wrested the book out of his sister's hands
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in extorting
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in earning
to get with great difficulty
farmers who were used to wresting a living from the harsh land
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in yanking
to move by or as if by a forceful rotation
I need a strong arm to wrest the lid off this pickle jar
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in grabbing
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
wrested open the stuck door of the cabinet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wresting
Verb
-
Goldy still has one of those markers - excessive pulling - sitting unused in front of him.—
Tony Blengino,
Forbes,
3 Jan. 2025 -
An executive order, delivered Friday, cites national security concerns for pulling the deal.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The governor’s plan would make pre-K free for families earning up to $100,000 a year, and $20 a day for those earning up to $150,000.—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
31 Mar. 2025
-
Markley was an exceptional high school basketball player, earning All-District and All-Area honors.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The White Sox, though, had other ideas, grabbing Smith with the first pick of the draft for $100,000.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
-
The Ravens believe in drafting corners every year, and the first-round selection of Nate Wiggins in 2024 won’t prevent them from grabbing another cornerback early.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The 18-year-old, who goes by the nickname Eliza rather than Elizabeth, opened up about the emotional tug of war between honoring her own identity and meeting her family’s expectations in a recent Reddit post.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
6 July 2025
-
Aim to finish with a clear success - whether that's catching the toy or winning a tug game.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 July 2025
Verb
-
On Thursday, Khalil and seven students identified by pseudonyms filed a lawsuit seeking to block a congressional committee from obtaining Columbia and Barnard College disciplinary records for students involved in campus protests.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
14 Mar. 2025
-
In statements to The Bee, both Toyota and Hyundai said the companies are aware that difficulty obtaining hydrogen fuel has upset their customers.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacramento Bee,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
However, in a very surprising twist, some tomatoes on the Galapagos islands are inching back down the ladder.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
29 June 2025
-
For a fun twist, try switching out the regular crackers for a garlic or vegetable-flavored variety.—
Elizabeth Nelson,
Southern Living,
29 June 2025
Verb
-
For others, the idea evokes gut-wrenching fear and anxiety.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
5 Jan. 2025
-
The book’s most wrenching passages describe his administration’s treatment of the women, who were often assaulted by mobs while police looked on.—
Barbara Spindel,
The Christian Science Monitor,
2 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Homages to the Bethesda games’ slow-motion kills are aplenty, with gratuitous shots of bullets tearing through bodies and painting the walls red.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Higbee was on the physically unable to perform list after tearing his back ACL and MCL last postseason.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
22 Dec. 2024
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.
Cite this Entry
“Wresting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wresting. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share