wrest

1
as in to pry
to draw out by force or with effort the boy wrested the book out of his sister's hands

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2
as in to extort
to get (as money) by the use of force or threats vowed that the bully had wrested his lunch money from him for the last time

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3
as in to earn
to get with great difficulty farmers who were used to wresting a living from the harsh land

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4
5
as in to grab
to separate or remove by forceful pulling wrested open the stuck door of the cabinet

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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 wrest Trump’s words played into the deepest fears of traditional Republicans and their allies, who have failed over the last decade to wrest the party from him – and have few answers for how to win now. Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025 The big lifting comes in wresting that next great technology from the white coats and putting it on production lines, and doing so in a time period measured in units smaller than decades. New Atlas, 25 Feb. 2025 Policymakers can endlessly debate giving or not giving the public certain benefits and services, but once people have become accustomed to a cheaper and easier way of doing things, trying to wrest that away tends to have immediate blowback, which at least some of the detractors seem to understand. New York Daily News, Twin Cities, 30 Jan. 2025 In the suit, Sheel Seidler claims the brothers are conspiring to wrest away the rights of her and the couple’s three children to be the Padres’ primary decision-makers now and into the future. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wrest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrest
Verb
  • He’s accused of extorting and defrauding a 72-year-old Newton woman out of more than $480,000.
    Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 25 Mar. 2025
  • Several public schools reported days ago that they were being extorted by criminals, prompting them to propose virtual classes, according to state television station TV Perú.
    Michael Rios, CNN, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Last season, City’s revenue advantage sat at £53.2m — and that was with United earning Champions League money.
    Chris Weatherspoon, The Athletic, 18 Mar. 2025
  • That film, directed by Lewis Teague and starring Dee Wallace, Daniel Hugh Kelly and Danny Pintauro, earned $21 million worldwide (not adjusted for inflation) against a $6 million budget.
    Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.
    Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
  • 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
  • Bleeding and lying on the floor, Margarita managed to grab Marcos’s leg, while Leo managed to escape.
    Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Top 10 Outdoor Toys on Amazon Overall Outdoor Toys for Babies If older siblings want to play outside, grab a few toys for your little one to keep them entertained.
    Jacquelyn Smith, Parents, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Thus, hydrogen is potentially an incredibly clean energy source if it can be extracted and used without the carbon emissions typically associated with hydrogen production.
    Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • In his latest visit to Moscow, Min Aung Hlaing granted Russia rights to extract minerals in Myanmar’s conflict zones and build an oil refinery and a port in the coastal city Dawei.
    Tharaphi Than, The Conversation, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • This 2019 retread attempts to squeeze that same emotional response out of viewers, simply by recreating every frame through photorealistic CGI.
    Staff Author, EW.com, 22 Mar. 2025
  • But skyrocketing home prices and stubbornly high mortgage rates in the past few years have squeezed many buyers to the sidelines of the market, raising concerns that this year will see a nationwide drop in sales even during the spring homebuying season.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • As the May deadline approaches for Idahoans to obtain their Star Card, a new driver’s license location in Star City Hall may reduce wait times for Ada County residents.
    Ashley Fredde, Idaho Statesman, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Partnering with mental health professionals to obtain thorough psychological evaluations can significantly strengthen cases.
    Sonia Singh, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Driving in rush hour, running errands, cooking dinner, entertaining guests, all of these activities become far more tolerable when listening to uninterrupted music that tugs at your inner urges to let loose.
    Miguel Otárola, The Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Without their alternate selves to tug at them, these characters would be dull, dull, dull.
    Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wrest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrest. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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