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
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
They are accused of yanking open a faulty cell door, removing a toilet from the wall, and crawling through a hole to flee.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025
The latest cuts go further, yanking support for low-carbon hydrogen, virtual power plants, and electric grid improvements in addition to carbon removal.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Stern is one of several high-profile entertainments hosts who have condemned ABC and Disney for yanking Kimmel off the air.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
The wind had a shape, pulling and yanking chaotically like ocean currents working plants on the seafloor.
—Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
The show’s yanking last week sparked a national debate about freedom of speech.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
The comments caused an uproar, leading to major sponsors pulling their ads and local affiliates yanking the program.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025
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
They are accused of yanking open a faulty cell door, removing a toilet from the wall, and crawling through a hole to flee.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025
The latest cuts go further, yanking support for low-carbon hydrogen, virtual power plants, and electric grid improvements in addition to carbon removal.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Stern is one of several high-profile entertainments hosts who have condemned ABC and Disney for yanking Kimmel off the air.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
The wind had a shape, pulling and yanking chaotically like ocean currents working plants on the seafloor.
—Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
The show’s yanking last week sparked a national debate about freedom of speech.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
The comments caused an uproar, leading to major sponsors pulling their ads and local affiliates yanking the program.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yanking
Verb
-
Sounds like the plot of a tear-jerking movie, no?—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
-
With an epic Oscar-winning title song by Streisand and tear-jerking scenes aplenty, this film is a perennial favorite and often referred to in pop culture.—
Alex Apatoff,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Over and over, the department has used the threat of pulling federal funding to force compliance with new directives and rapid shifts in policy.—
Megan O’Matz,
ProPublica,
8 Oct. 2025
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After pulling her daughter out of public school, Thompson enrolled Meadow in Fortune Academy and eventually became its director of development.—
Tory Basile,
IndyStar,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Before grabbing a host of amendments at the nursery, however, do a soil test through your local extension service to see what your garden actually needs.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Wear them now with blouses and T-shirts when visiting a pumpkin patch or grabbing dinner with friends.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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Prior to the 2024 incident, Mangione reportedly shared information on Reddit about a number of health issues, including struggles with back pain, brain fog, and twitching leg muscles.—
Olivia-Anne Cleary,
Time,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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According to Alixandra, who didn't share her surname, Sparrow masterminded her own midnight feast by toppling the feeder and prying off the lid.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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This is about creating a childhood away from prying eyes, giving his children the space and support to enjoy being children without a care in the world.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Broncos were starting to find their groove in the run game before Sunday’s flop, a concern since the step back came in the first game without Ben Powers, who is expected to miss at least two months after tearing his biceps.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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But together, the father and daughter started tearing the old Jeep apart, gutting the interior.—
Laura Lane,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Guardiola was agitated that Van Hecke went to ground inside his own penalty area in a shirt-tugging duel with Erling Haaland.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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Stylists crouch just out of frame, tugging seams, swapping earrings, brushing stray hairs from her face, while publicists hover nearby.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But Democrats, still reeling from drawing widespread criticism for helping Republicans avoid a shutdown in March, appeared committed this time to not give in without extracting concessions on health care and other priorities.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
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While cracks and surface defects caused by traffic and environmental stress are easy to spot, detecting micro-cracks and damage in the lower layers still requires drilling and extracting core samples.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Yanking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yanking. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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