as in tugs
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 jerks
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 pulls
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 grabs
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 yanks
Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
Judy yanks Mikey’s roller trunk out of the mud and leads him toward one of the nearby hiking trails.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
Thing rebels against his master and yanks out his clockwork heart.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
After deciding to take his family to a tourist town for some fun in the sun, a minor encounter with local bullies yanks the family into the crosshairs of an unhinged, blood-thirsty crime boss (Sharon Stone), who is determined to derail his relaxation.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Charlotte pops by to drop off stuffing, and Carrie yanks her aside, accusing her of setting her up with Mark.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
According to the footage, Falcinelli then moves toward the officer before the officer yanks him by the arm.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
Judy yanks Mikey’s roller trunk out of the mud and leads him toward one of the nearby hiking trails.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
Thing rebels against his master and yanks out his clockwork heart.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
After deciding to take his family to a tourist town for some fun in the sun, a minor encounter with local bullies yanks the family into the crosshairs of an unhinged, blood-thirsty crime boss (Sharon Stone), who is determined to derail his relaxation.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Charlotte pops by to drop off stuffing, and Carrie yanks her aside, accusing her of setting her up with Mark.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yanks
Noun
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And gear that hugs and tugs in all the wrong places doesn’t whisper.—
Marisa McMillan,
Outside,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Erikson, who was influenced by Freud, conceptualized eight life stages as tugs of war between opposing forces.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Ross’s video does not show if the SUV made contact with him, as the camera angle jerks up to the sky.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The video suddenly jerks away as the vehicle starts to move and shots can be heard.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
One of the most effective ways to make a kitchen feel custom is to replace standard, generic cabinet pulls with high-quality hardware.—
Wendy Rose Gould,
Martha Stewart,
27 Feb. 2026
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We’re reminded of all this in a great scene when Ellis, who has just been deposed, pulls Mel aside.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Enraged, John grabs the ring from Carolyn’s finger.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Billie jumps from the second floor, injuring her foot, but Chee grabs her.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Persistent muscle twitches Everyone’s muscles twitch from time to time, usually at various locations.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Some devices, for example, track eye movements or other small muscle twitches to let users select words from a screen.—
Emma R. Hasson,
Scientific American,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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There are swooping close encounters with heavenly bodies, Lego blocks in antigravity mode and swarms of Separators, a sort of astro-anthropomorphic version of the tool that pries apart Lego bricks in real life.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Feb. 2026
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The show’s biggest laugh may come when Testa pries open Costanzo’s mouth and pronounces just how many performances of Norma Galas has left.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Under her watch, Americans have been murdered in cold blood, DHS has obstructed lawful congressional oversight, dismissed credible reports of abuse, carried out an extreme agenda that tears families apart and destabilizes communities.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Catherine uplifted us in a world that often tears us down.—
Andrew Gelwicks,
Vogue,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But Wembanyama is on the short list of MVP favorites as the league lurches toward the playoffs, a list that includes former NBA champions Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of OKC, Denver’s Nikola Jokic along with Detroit’s Cade Cunningham and Los Angeles’ Luka Doncic.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Feb. 2026
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After a moment of hesitation, Harington lurches forward and plants a passionate kiss on Turner, who responds in kind.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Yanks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yanks. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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