1
as in jerking
to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion
she stupidly yanked the wheel while I was driving
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in pulling
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 grabbing
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
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Recent Examples of yanking
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
In both cases, as the danger was spreading through the waters of the Florida reefs, scientists were busily yanking surviving corals out of the water and saving them in aquariums across the state.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
Mel Brooks’ best comedy shares many similarities with his other revered films – a strong grip of genre beats, a non-stop barrage of gags yanking us forward, and an eagerness to give every performer a chance to comedically shine.
—Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
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
Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky has taken the next logical step in making a Black Hawk helicopter autonomous by not only installing the gear needed for self-flying, but by yanking out the entire cockpit and replacing it with cargo doors.
—David Szondy
october 13, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2025
However, she was momentarily stopped when one concert goer grabbed her, violently yanking her backwards and into the barricade.
—Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Neil Young is yanking his music from Amazon, the rock star announced this week.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
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
In both cases, as the danger was spreading through the waters of the Florida reefs, scientists were busily yanking surviving corals out of the water and saving them in aquariums across the state.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
Mel Brooks’ best comedy shares many similarities with his other revered films – a strong grip of genre beats, a non-stop barrage of gags yanking us forward, and an eagerness to give every performer a chance to comedically shine.
—Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
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
Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky has taken the next logical step in making a Black Hawk helicopter autonomous by not only installing the gear needed for self-flying, but by yanking out the entire cockpit and replacing it with cargo doors.
—David Szondy
october 13, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2025
However, she was momentarily stopped when one concert goer grabbed her, violently yanking her backwards and into the barricade.
—Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Neil Young is yanking his music from Amazon, the rock star announced this week.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yanking
Verb
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To that point, Olympia shouldn’t be allowed to play the jury the tear-jerking recording of Frank’s final phone call home as the water rose.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The Surprise Lining The most tear-jerking moment, however, was kept secret until the very last minute.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The challenge is less about pulling people off the street and more about improving the quality and capacity of training and integration of Ukrainian infantry into combat brigades.—
Jack Watling,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Nov. 2025
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After pulling between your teeth to enjoy, the pods are discarded.—
Tammy Algood,
Southern Kitchen,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
-
Picture objects levitating or twitching without external interference—or switching rooms.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Oct. 2025
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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
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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
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Maybe our mild response had simply reminded her of the world’s perpetually prying gaze.—
James Marcus,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Suddenly, there’s dozens of supervillains tearing the place (and each other) apart.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
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Kraft was on pace to have an even stronger year in 2025, having already logged 32 catches for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight games before tearing his ACL.—
Matthew Schmidt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The aim is practical comfort that could help new parents spend less time adjusting straps or tugging at seams and more time getting through a list that changes by the hour.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
11 Nov. 2025
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Alcaras, meanwhile, keeps tugging at loose threads.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Rather than extracting knowledge from Indigenous communities, the Memory Keepers Medical Discovery Team works in collaboration with community members.—
Holly J. McDede,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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The motion of the bead against the rod causes the atoms/molecules/electrons to rub against one another, producing heat through friction, and thereby providing a method for extracting energy from the gravitational waves.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Yanking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yanking. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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