wrenched; wrenching; wrenches
Synonyms of wrenchnext

intransitive verb

1
: to move with a violent twist
also : to undergo twisting
2
: to pull or strain at something with violent twisting

transitive verb

1
: to twist violently
2
: to injure or disable by a violent twisting or straining
wrenched her back
3
: change
especially : distort, pervert
4
a
: to pull or tighten by violent twisting or with violence
b
: to snatch forcibly : wrest
5
: to cause to suffer mental anguish : rack entry 2

wrench

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a violent twisting or a pull with or as if with twisting
b
: a sharp twist or sudden jerk straining muscles or ligaments
also : the resultant injury (as of a joint)
c
: a distorting or perverting alteration
d
: acute emotional distress : sudden violent mental change
2
: a hand or power tool for holding, twisting, or turning an object (such as a bolt or nut)
3

Examples of wrench in a Sentence

Verb I tried to wrench free from his grip. I tried to wrench myself free from his grip. He wrenched his back when he tried to lift a heavy box. She wrenched the toy from his grasp. The statue was wrenched from its pedestal. Noun It was a wrench to say goodbye to all my friends. with a sharp wrench of the hammer I pulled the nail from the board
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
After an opening week of wrenching testimony and a jury trip to the home where Lindsay Clancy strangled her three children, her murder trial resumes Monday with more testimony about the killings in a coastal Massachusetts town in 2023. ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 Miriam had given her a heavy coat and wrenched open the silver door. Rachel Yoder, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026
Noun
Judge Colleen Nichols sentenced Blake Rakela, 21, to four years in prison for using a metal wrench in the road rage confrontation that killed Styles. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Earlier today, the president threw another wrench in the situation, floating the idea of postponing Blanche's confirmation until next year, when Cornyn and Tillis will both be gone from the Senate. Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrench

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English wrencan; akin to Old High German renken to twist and perhaps to Latin vergere to bend, incline

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of wrench was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wrench. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
: to move with a violent twist
2
: to pull, strain, or tighten with violent twisting or force
3
: to injure by a violent twisting or straining
wrenched my knee while playing football
4
: to snatch forcibly : wrest

wrench

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: a violent twisting or pull
b
: a sharp twist or sudden jerk that strains muscles or ligaments
also : the injury caused by this
2
: a tool for holding, twisting, or turning (as nuts and bolts)

Medical Definition

wrench

1 of 2 transitive verb
: to injure or disable by a violent twisting or straining
slipped and wrenched her back

wrench

2 of 2 noun
: a sharp twist or sudden jerk straining muscles or ligaments
also : the resultant injury (as of a joint)

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