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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
3
as in to yank
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
wrenched the post out of the ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wrench
Daniel Munoz, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Focuses on mechanical repairs with a high-torque wrench and a high-output battery pack.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 9 Apr. 2026
Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026
Loss, trauma and illness often bring the same wrenching questions of identity and the painful uncertainty of what comes next.
—Keith M. Bellizzi, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Noun
Google’s development of AI threw a wrench in the federal government’s 2020 antitrust case, law professor Hovenkamp said.
—Daniel Munoz, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Focuses on mechanical repairs with a high-torque wrench and a high-output battery pack.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
Blanton’s improvisational leanings wrench this aesthetic away from the realm of the programmatic, allowing his tracks to warp on a dime and filling them with plentiful rewinds, glitches, and abstract codas.
—Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026
Loss, trauma and illness often bring the same wrenching questions of identity and the painful uncertainty of what comes next.
—Keith M. Bellizzi, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wrench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrench
Noun
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The beverage blends orange cordial and hibiscus agave with Lime’s signature frozen margarita, offering a bold twist on a classic to accompany award-winning mahi nahi tacos or a Porkito burrito.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
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There are micro-twists within the major ones, expressive fillips that blend confessions and aphorisms, and grand reflections along with jousts of seductive wit.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Instead, use your thumb and forefinger to grasp the berry at the stem and give it a gentle tug.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Matching net-zero targets The Svitzer Balder is an innovative TRAnsverse tug design.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The only question was which lever Brown would pull to save his team’s season in the first round of the playoffs.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
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All of which is great news for Adam Silver and everyone else pulling a paycheck from the league.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson could’ve yanked him for the veteran Harrison Barnes.—
Christian Clark,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Lindor, who has been the subject of criticism for his play thus far, yanked a shot into the seats, scoring Marcus Semien and Carson Benge — one of the few positives from this night.—
James O'Connell,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There’s an almost-friendship-ending rift over husbands (Brent Thiessen is Cee Cee’s, a cool-guy theater director; Ben Jacoby is Bertie’s, a rich jerk) that feels deeply dated and, in the context of the women’s tell-each-other-everything friendship, just plain weird.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2026
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The jerk chicken is rubbed in a sweet honey glaze.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Kancey, 25, tore his pectoral muscle in a Week 2 win at Houston and missed most of last season.—
Rick Stroud,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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So when Khalil is killed and his family targeted exactly because of this work, Jimmy is torn by guilt and grief.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This can feel challenging and heart-wrenching.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
22 Jan. 2026
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Such is the case in Quiara Alegría Hudes’s wrenching and mordant debut novel, The White Hot, in which 26-year-old April Soto hits her breaking point and walks out on her 10-year-old daughter, Noelle.—
Ruth Madievsky,
The Atlantic,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rivera’s defense team contended that the gun went off inadvertently in a struggle after Rosen reached into the car and grabbed Rivera.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
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Walsh locked down Maxey out of a Sixers timeout to force a turnover, and the Celtics grabbed four offensive rebounds on one first-quarter possession, with Walsh and Scheierman accounting for three of them.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrench. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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