1
as in pried
to draw out by force or with effort
the boy wrested the book out of his sister's hands
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
4
as in pulled
to move by or as if by a forceful rotation
I need a strong arm to wrest the lid off this pickle jar
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in grabbed
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
wrested open the stuck door of the cabinet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wrested
And in that quest for unbridled growth, the AI industry has wrested ungodly amounts of capital from investors all looking for the next big thing, ensnaring the entire economy.
—
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Prasad and top drug regulator Tracy Beth Høeg have wrested control of vaccine surveillance from career staff.
—Lizzy Lawrence, STAT, 6 Mar. 2026
Fast forward to 2025 when the total outlays are now north of $7 trillion a year, more than a 360% increase in national spending in the 30 years since term limits were wrested from the American public.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
My parents were just children when they were wrested from their homes into tarpaper barracks surrounded by barbed wire.
—Julie Morita, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
Having wrested himself from Russia after the invasion of Ukraine, the great choreographer has sought to remake himself and his work in Denmark.
—Marina Harss, The New York Review of Books, 19 Feb. 2026
The constitution was thus wrested from the Iranian people and appropriated by a ruling cadre that imposed its own interpretation of Islamic law upon them.
—Ramin Jahanbegloo, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
The rise of hip-hop and the films of Spike Lee in the late 1980s and early 1990s forced a revival of Malcolm X, a reclaiming of him by Black America, wrested from his historical framing by the white mainstream, which during his time did not love him.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
Ja'Quan McMillian wrested the ball from Bills receiver Brandin Cooks as the two tumbled to the ground in overtime.
—Mike Sando, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2026
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Prasad and top drug regulator Tracy Beth Høeg have wrested control of vaccine surveillance from career staff.
—Lizzy Lawrence, STAT, 6 Mar. 2026
Fast forward to 2025 when the total outlays are now north of $7 trillion a year, more than a 360% increase in national spending in the 30 years since term limits were wrested from the American public.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
My parents were just children when they were wrested from their homes into tarpaper barracks surrounded by barbed wire.
—Julie Morita, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
Having wrested himself from Russia after the invasion of Ukraine, the great choreographer has sought to remake himself and his work in Denmark.
—Marina Harss, The New York Review of Books, 19 Feb. 2026
The constitution was thus wrested from the Iranian people and appropriated by a ruling cadre that imposed its own interpretation of Islamic law upon them.
—Ramin Jahanbegloo, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
The rise of hip-hop and the films of Spike Lee in the late 1980s and early 1990s forced a revival of Malcolm X, a reclaiming of him by Black America, wrested from his historical framing by the white mainstream, which during his time did not love him.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
Ja'Quan McMillian wrested the ball from Bills receiver Brandin Cooks as the two tumbled to the ground in overtime.
—Mike Sando, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrested
Verb
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Someone pried open the mailbox of a residence in the 18000 block of Vessing Road, causing damage estimated at approximately $1,200.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
The officers pried open the panel to free the woman, who was unable to get out of the tank on her own, according to the court records.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In schemes orchestrated with Iza, Coberg arranged a fake drug arrest and stood guard while a victim was extorted.—
Brittny Mejia,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
-
At least three organizations have been extorted and suffered hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages after proprietary information was posted online by IT workers.—
Lisa Cavazuti,
NBC news,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The original Broadway production earned three Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and has delighted global audiences with its irreverent humor, according to a news release.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
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That ménage à trois has earned them further entry into an even more elite world, which appeals to both of their desires to move up the social ladder.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The North Huntingdon Township Police Department said the homeowner pulled a gun on the utility worker, who was sent to shut off service, and chased him away from his home on Water Street in Ardara.—
Erika Stanish,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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When Tree City Juice & Smoothie Cafe pulled the plug on its two brick-and-mortar restaurants last year, the closures hit home for Bethany Anderson.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Shamet was fouled on the play and missed the and-one free throw, but second-year backup big man Ariel Hukporti grabbed the offensive rebound to create a second shot opportunity.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Walmart grabbed 23% of the market share last year, the same as in 2024.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel drew walks, sandwiched around a Trout single, and then Soler yanked a three-run double down the left field line.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Minnesota starter Taj Bradley struck out nine over 4 1/3 innings, but was yanked after throwing 92 pitches.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And almost all traffic goes through two main shipping lanes that are even more squeezed.—
Annette Choi,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
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More than 22,000 oranges are squeezed, and hundreds of gallons of drinks are poured, all for opening day.—
Caroline Foreback,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As the plane twisted upward, the air pressure wrenched off another tail fin.—
Burkhard Bilger,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
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Experts believe the crown’s flexible mount was strained when thieves wrenched it from its display through a narrow slot cut by the angle grinder, according to a report by the Louvre.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wrested.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrested. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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