wrench 1 of 2

noun

Definition of wrenchnext
1
as in twist
a forceful rotating or pulling motion for the purpose of dislodging something with a sharp wrench of the hammer I pulled the nail from the board

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2
as in tug
the act or an instance of applying force on something so that it moves in the direction of the force with one final hard wrench I was able to pull the cork from the bottle

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wrench

2 of 2

verb

ˈrench How to pronounce wrench (audio)
1
as in to pull
to move by or as if by a forceful rotation with one last sharp yank, he wrenched the lid off the bottle of ketchup

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2
as in to damage
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure wrenched her shoulder by all of that heavy lifting

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3
as in to yank
to separate or remove by forceful pulling wrenched the post out of the ground

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 wrench
Noun
But now, Martha Stewart might have thrown a wrench into this. — Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 10 Aug. 2026 Blake Rakela, 21, received four years in prison for voluntary manslaughter after striking Styles with a metal wrench, while his father, Anthony Rakela, 61, was sentenced to 90 days in jail on a misdemeanor assault charge. — Ruyuan Li. Story Produced With Ai Assistance, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Verb
Watson, meanwhile, was best known at the time for her breakout role in Lars Von Trier’s wrenching 1996 drama Breaking the Waves, which earned her an Academy Award nomination. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Aug. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for wrench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrench
  1. twist
  2. tug
  3. pull
  4. yank
  5. wrenching
  6. jerk
  7. tear
  8. grab
Noun
  • But, in an unexpected twist for the ranger, the faith leader is involved in the robberies though as a victim not a perpetrator.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The journey brought another unexpected twist when the train was transported across the water by ferry.
    — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of twist
Noun
  • To keep your dog safe, only tug from side to side as lifting the rope toy can damage your dog’s spine.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • If your toddler stubbornly digs their heels in, don’t allow yourself to be drawn into a potty training tug of war.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of tug
Verb
  • Pratt fouled off Thornton’s first pitch and then pulled back his bat on the second one, a fastball right down the middle.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Washington has turned to pulling economic levers six months into a war on Iran that has ground to a stalemate militarily, with peace talks stalled and most traffic through the crucial Strait of Hormuz blocked.
    — Tucker Reals, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of pull
Verb
  • Participants will yank invasive plants to help restore the canyon.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • In Berkeley, where California clay culture yanked ceramics out of the category of polite craft and into something huge, physical, ugly, and beautiful, Heilmann learned to weld.
    — Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of yank
Noun
  • Iyer called the case heart-wrenching.
    — Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 8 May 2026
  • This can feel challenging and heart-wrenching.
    — Cori Sears, The Spruce, 22 Jan. 2026
Definition of wrenching
Noun
  • The latter accidentally does happen, which leads to power struggles between the bigoted jerk and our trio of heroines.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Duffy, for his part, came across as a real jerk at times, but surprisingly charming at others, with a half-nerd, half-jock mien—sweepy hair, big glasses, a megawatt smile—that put me in mind of a Wisconsin Sam Seaborn.
    — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • Braun tore ligaments in his left ankle last November and wasn’t quite the same after that.
    — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Many communities like Gary have been in the dark for almost two weeks since the devastating derecho tore through.
    — Marissa Sulek, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of tear
Verb
  • Students unlock their pouches, grab their devices and head home.
    — Wakisha Bailey, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • While looking at the shadows, Crimmins allegedly maneuvered the grapple so that its shadow appeared to grab Lynch’s shadow.
    — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of grab

Browse Nearby Words

wrecks
wrench
wrenched
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Cite this Entry

“Wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrench. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wrench

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