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
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Recent Examples of wresting
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Josh Ireland, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Now the president is again pitching the idea that wresting control of Greenland away from Denmark could solve the problem.
—Josh Funk, Fortune, 11 Jan. 2026
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
In recent years, these Chinese middlemen have essentially become the go-to bankers for the biggest players in the US drug trade, authorities have said, wresting control from Latin American interests in what has amounted to a bloodless coup.
—Rob Kuznia, CNN Money, 18 Nov. 2025
If elections are more about wresting power from the other side, how does our country move forward?
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 6 Nov. 2025
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
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
Trotsky hurled items from the desk at Mercader before wresting the ice pick from his grip.
—Josh Ireland, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Now the president is again pitching the idea that wresting control of Greenland away from Denmark could solve the problem.
—Josh Funk, Fortune, 11 Jan. 2026
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
In recent years, these Chinese middlemen have essentially become the go-to bankers for the biggest players in the US drug trade, authorities have said, wresting control from Latin American interests in what has amounted to a bloodless coup.
—Rob Kuznia, CNN Money, 18 Nov. 2025
If elections are more about wresting power from the other side, how does our country move forward?
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 6 Nov. 2025
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
-
Those worries have spilled into financial markets, pulling share prices sharply lower.—
Alex Veiga,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Someone’s always pulling the knife out or holding the knife.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The official reports into that incident show that Epstein initially told prison officials that his cellmate had tried to kill him after extorting him for money.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
-
There had been tension between Bo Nagar’s force and the local PDF units since last year over his BNRA fighters allegedly extorting money at road checkpoints.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The average family of four earning $95,000 would save roughly $6,000.—
JEFF STEIN THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Sac State women aim to surprise The Sac State women made history in 2023 in winning its first Big Sky Conference Tournament, thus earning the program’s first NCAA Tournament bid, doing so under coach Mark Campbell in his second and final season with the program.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The body-camera footage shows Exum yanking the wheel left, toward the Rogue, then right.—
Ruby Cramer,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Other plaintiffs’ attorneys, however, have called the CEO’s threat of yanking the product a scare tactic.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Wembanyama had back-to-back dunks in the second quarter, including grabbing his own miss and throwing it down for what became a three-point play on a foul by Javonte Green.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Brigham is also charged with assaulting a man by grabbing and twisting his genitals.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
If a public request tugs at private feelings, pause to check your boundaries, then accept only what supports family rhythms and true priorities.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2026
-
His latest work treasures motion in both its study of dance music that straddles the 20th and 21st centuries and its gentle tug away from pure pop.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The ceremony was held at the tiny First African Baptist Church in Cumberland Island, Georgia, away from prying eyes and paparazzi.—
Stefania Conrieri,
Vanity Fair,
6 Mar. 2026
-
After being hounded by paparazzi for their entire courtship, the duo managed to pull off a secret wedding, away from prying eyes, on a secluded island in Georgia.—
Claudia Williams,
Architectural Digest,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Other business leaders have trialed, but then dialed back, four-day work week experiments after seeing the strain of squeezing five days of work into four.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The business has been brutal for the last couple of years — the pandemic, the strikes, the profit squeezing that led to a bunch of reduced production.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wresting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wresting. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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