as in pull
the act or an instance of applying force on something so that it moves in the direction of the force
had to give the shoe a good yank to get it off
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to jerk
to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion
she stupidly yanked the wheel while I was driving
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to pull
to draw out by force or with effort
yanked out a tooth with a pair of pliers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to grab
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
grab the other one, and let's see if we can't yank these two grocery carriages apart
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 yank
Brendan Marks, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Each blade has a pull tab at the top of its cartridge; just give it a gentle yank to remove it.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2025
Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 19 Oct. 2025
In response, the footage shows, agents yanked his brother to the ground, shoving his face into wet concrete.
—Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for yank
Noun
Four yanks later, voila: Clayton had pulled free his prize, leaving just a single strand of nylon stuck in the Alamodome rim.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Each blade has a pull tab at the top of its cartridge; just give it a gentle yank to remove it.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
On the cover, the singer is on all fours beside a faceless man who is yanking her hair.
—Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 19 Oct. 2025
In response, the footage shows, agents yanked his brother to the ground, shoving his face into wet concrete.
—Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for yank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yank
Noun
-
The pull chain toilet has been lost, the clawfoot bathtub replaced by a shower with a frosted glass door.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The remaining virgin materials—three small trim pieces for the zipper pull, snaps and drawstring—are slated to be phased out.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Even the coldest heart has been melted by the tear-jerking video of a cat trying her best to clean her ears after they were cut off due to cancer.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Paul goes to shake her hand but jerks it back, then gives her a left-handed handshake.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Casanovas’ use of the brand as a platform for self-expression has clearly grabbed attention among his Gen Z peers.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
20 Oct. 2025
-
So instead of getting out your sad, chipped mixing bowls as your backup serving pieces, grab a three-piece set of these Trudeau porcelain serving bowls.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Wall Street Journal reports that regardless of how that fiscal tug-of- war turns out, health insurance premiums paid by Americans are expected to rise another 8% or 9% next year.—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
-
In the heart of the Amazon Basin, where the borders and cultures of Peru, Colombia and Brazil converge, a tiny, shape-shifting island has become the unlikely setting for a diplomatic tug of war.—
Sarah Hutter,
CNN Money,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Her hand twitched from the heat.—
Zuzana Říhová,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Any dairy farmer can tell you that biting flies are a pestilent scourge for cattle herds, which is why one so often sees cows throwing their heads, stamping their feet, flicking their tails, and twitching their skin—desperately trying to shake off the nasty creatures.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Pieces from Stock are often plucked by stylists for celebrity editorials for Vanity Fair, Esquire and GQ.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Oct. 2025
-
This faux Dunhill Fir is designed to look and feel like a tree plucked straight off the lot, without the single-season lifespan or mess of shedding needles.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Finally, in the fourth quarter, Mac Jones let one rip downfield.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Rossi’s centering pass landed perfectly on Tarasenko’s stick blade, and the veteran ripped a rising shot over the shoulder of Flyers goalie Dan Vladar.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The mood is lurching between calm and doom-mongering chaos.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Hollywood lurched into a fresh wave of existential panic this week after Deadline, notating an otherwise dry industry panel on Saturday, September 27, seized on a stray remark.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Yank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yank. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share