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
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 wresting
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
Lee assumed office in June as the head of the country’s liberal Democratic Party, wresting control from the conservative People Power Party.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
In pitching his services, Prince discussed wresting control of gangs to allow major highways to reopen.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
The state and federal governments argued that NEPA does not apply to the state, and the appellate court agreed with them, suspending the lower court’s decision pending arguments on the merits of the appeal and wresting the case from District Judge Kathleen Williams until the appeal is resolved.
—Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
Lee assumed office in June as the head of the country’s liberal Democratic Party, wresting control from the conservative People Power Party.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wresting
Verb
-
Both candidates had coattails, pulling along fellow Democrats as Republican turnout sagged.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
5 Nov. 2025
-
After decades of wars in the Middle East, many American politicians, civil society organizations, and citizens advocate for pulling back, arguing that the United States can no longer serve as the world’s policeman.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
He is also accused of extorting an unnamed person to collect gambling debts in 2023.—
Daniel Arkin,
NBC news,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Nearly a billion records were stolen across dozens of organizations, and now cybercriminals are extorting victims by threatening to publish the data unless hefty ransoms are paid.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
My daughter and son earning advanced degrees from LSU and a third who began his career working at the university.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Many outlets began operating independently, earning revenue through advertising.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Video of that incident shows a man identified by police as Calhoon lunging across the table, yanking it toward him and flipping it on its side while Turning Point promotional materials spilled onto the pavement.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Ciattarelli promises to lower energy costs immediately by yanking the state out of a regional greenhouse gas initiative, as well as any other environmental policy that voters are sick of.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The 5-11 200-pound standout has accumulated mind-boggling stats through nine games -- 1,098 rushing yards and 17 TDs while grabbing a team-leading 42 passes for 974 yards and 18 scores.—
Mike Waters,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Nikola Jokic put up 26 points on 12 of 15 shooting, while also dishing out nine assists and grabbing nine rebounds.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Neither tug was blatant, but both seemed to impede Allende.—
Henry Bushnell,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Dogs’ favorite bonding activities include playing fetch, tug, or Frisbee.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
At one end of the table, Gioele Moro of the Czech Academy of Sciences is gently prying loose moths from the depths of a trap.—
Glenn Zorpette,
IEEE Spectrum,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Maybe our mild response had simply reminded her of the world’s perpetually prying gaze.—
James Marcus,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The Bagail 6-piece Compression Packing Cube Set is just $19 and a game-changer for squeezing extra outfits into a carry-on.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
-
To check for ripeness, start by squeezing the fruit—ripe mangos should give slightly under pressure without feeling overly soft or mushy.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wresting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wresting. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share