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
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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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of wrench
Ryan Murphy, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Dec. 2024
Heavy snow is expected throughout New England and beyond on Thursday and could throw a wrench into holiday travel plans across the region.
—Michael D. Carroll, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
Abby Monteil, Them, 20 Sep. 2024
Even worse are the heart wrenching stories from moms forced to make impossible choices, like deciding between paying for day care and feeding their baby.
—Reshma Saujani, TIME, 10 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wrench 
Noun
That throws a wrench into Steinberg’s contention that Whitfield could have been saved if he’d been taken out of the prone position immediately after handcuffing.
—Ryan Murphy, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Dec. 2024
Heavy snow is expected throughout New England and beyond on Thursday and could throw a wrench into holiday travel plans across the region.
—Michael D. Carroll, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
Verb
However, the genre can also be a means through which many trans and nonbinary viewers have processed gender dysphoria, externalizing the fear of a body changing out from under you, wrenching your sense of self in the process.
—Abby Monteil, Them, 20 Sep. 2024
Even worse are the heart wrenching stories from moms forced to make impossible choices, like deciding between paying for day care and feeding their baby.
—Reshma Saujani, TIME, 10 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wrench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrench
Noun
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But the character’s departure was intended as one of many shocking twists to keep the narrative stakes high, not as a signal of any change in the franchise’s commitment to inclusion.Greg Braxton, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
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Especially when most of those twists and challenges were not great to begin with.Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Across its eight tracks, Knox bares all about the intimate lifecycle of her own seven-year relationship through spellbinding vocals that tug at the heartstrings and polished, R&B-leaning production.Heran Mamo, Billboard, 4 Dec. 2024
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The dog can sniff around and tug at its leash, but the dog walker is the one setting the pace and direction.Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 26 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
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The 13-minute performance will likely call for a healthy dose of vibrant, colored lighting to pull it all together.Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 10 Feb. 2023
Verb
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In another instance, footage shows the child was yanked to the ground so hard that her foot came up over her head.Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 8 Dec. 2024
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When they get caught almost kissing at a pool party, the girl’s boyfriend yanks her away by the hair and screams at the both of them, only for the first girl to start beating him up.James Factora, Them, 4 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The processing fee is absolutely not going to the part-time delivery person, but, rather, to a rich jerk who is golfing right now.Meghana Indurti, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2024
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Also, your character’s supposed to be kind of a jerk.Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Since then, she’s been torn between reclaiming her life story and coming to grips with the fact that some of her legions of followers might be paying attention for the wrong reasons.Timothy Bella, Rolling Stone, 8 Dec. 2024
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That’s when the Magic first shared that All-Star Paolo Banchero had torn his right abdominal muscle against the Bulls the night prior on Oct. 30.Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The 2-pound cordless device is easy to grab in a pinch to clean small spills and fur balls off of furniture, and it can also be used to refresh car interiors.Clara McMahon, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
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Some Broad Ripple Starbucks lovers woke up to a surprise Thursday morning while stopping to grab a cup of Joe.Alysa Guffey, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The average large studio spends over $100 million annually trying to protect its content, yet for $29 and a 5-minute YouTube video, anyone can rip and pirate virtually any platform.Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024
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Tom Bastian, a spokesperson for the ACLU of Missouri, ripped the legislation as unconstitutional in a statement.KACEN BAYLESS THE KANSAS CITY STAR (TNS), arkansasonline.com, 14 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near wrench
Cite this Entry
“Wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrench. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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