YANK Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

yank 1 of 2

noun

Definition of yank

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

yank

2 of 2

verb

ˈyaŋk

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

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

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

reattach

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

Noun

Soy sauce, Maggi seasoning, daikon and shiitake mushroom yank pot roast into new territory. — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 24 Mar. 2026 Effectively, this turned the workspace into a yank buffer along with all your documents, and undoing any destructive editing operation thus became merely another cut and paste. — Cameron Kaiser, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025

Verb

Having yanked herself out of the doldrums, Nosková zipped to a 5-2 lead in the second set, before again giving up four quick points to Muchová. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 11 July 2026 Winco also yanked about 13,500 Roman Candles 8 Shot 3-Pack Firework Devices. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for yank

Recent Examples of Synonyms for yank

Noun

As someone who fed on emotion and belonging throughout his career, Keegan had always felt the pull of Newcastle United, the club of his father.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Russia sliding deeper into China’s gravitational pull may be the most consequential long-term outcome of the entire war.

— Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of pull

Verb

Watching their relationship devolve (never more so than when their sperm donor, a rakish, motorcycle-driving restaurant owner played by Mark Ruffalo, enters the scene) is most definitely a tear-jerking experience, as is the film’s final scene.

— Liam Hess, Vogue, 28 June 2026
Some were petty — like Reese committing a foul against Clark, then jerking her head back, impersonating Clark as a flopper.

— Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 June 2026

Definition of jerk

Verb

The fact that celebrity landed upon him, plucking him from the obscurity of his mission to represent the burgeoning discourse on the disease, says more about the world that orbited him than his actions on the island or his own political nous.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
And their semi-final victory over England was plucked from another incredibly precarious position.

— Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 20 July 2026

Definition of pluck

Verb

Paredes was quickly on the scene, grabbing Garcia briefly by the throat and shoving him to the floor.

— Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026
If relaxing is more your speed, grab a glass of Chablis, settle into an Adirondack chair with a good book, and watch the sunlight dance across the lily pads.

— Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 20 July 2026

Definition of grab

Noun

These shorts have an easy pull-on opening that eliminates the tug-and-jump dance associated with denim shorts.

— Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026
For as much as many savor the South Florida lifestyle, the tug of a hometown can have an even greater pull on the heartstrings.

— Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2026

Definition of tug

Verb

There is something cultish about that idea — the player who tends not to start but has the knack to appear later on with antennae twitching, ready to seize the day and alter the course of a match.

— Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 21 June 2026
Leon Stetson was allegedly twitching, so officers moved him away from Carrie Stetson and started to render medical aid.

— Kellie Love, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2026

Definition of twitch

Verb

The artisan copper stills used to extract essential oils and hydrosols are handcrafted by Copper Pro in Ukraine, incorporating a unique heating element that can be plugged in rather than using an open flame.

— Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 July 2026
During processing, the juices are extracted from the fruit, and the remaining flesh and fiber are discarded.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 21, Charlotte Observer, 21 July 2026

Definition of extract

Verb

Homeowners of that era ripped out their vegetable gardens and orange trees to set up oil rigs.

— Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigators are probing a destructive fire that ripped through a Sun Valley strip mall early Sunday morning, destroying a beloved family-run market.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 14 July 2026

Definition of rip

Browse Nearby Words

yammers

yank

yanked

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Yank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yank. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of yank

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on yank

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

maverick

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes