as in pull
the act or an instance of applying force on something so that it moves in the direction of the force
had to give the shoe a good yank to get it off
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to jerk
to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion
she stupidly yanked the wheel while I was driving
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to pull
to draw out by force or with effort
yanked out a tooth with a pair of pliers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to grab
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
grab the other one, and let's see if we can't yank these two grocery carriages apart
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of yank
Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 4 May 2023
Happy to help, Marsh popped over, entered the combination and gave it a good yank — success.
—Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 4 May 2023
Jason Clayworth, Axios, 22 Nov. 2024
But also Christopher seems to be thriving, so does Eddie really want to yank him out of that environment?
—Andy Swift, TVLine, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for yank 
Noun
Her teacher promptly pulled her back into line with a yank whose mildness astonished me.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 4 May 2023
Happy to help, Marsh popped over, entered the combination and gave it a good yank — success.
—Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 4 May 2023
Verb
Multiple communities have yanked their membership to DART in the last two years due to budget constraints or low ridership, a decision that ends services to their cities and puts more strain on those left participating in DART.
—Jason Clayworth, Axios, 22 Nov. 2024
But also Christopher seems to be thriving, so does Eddie really want to yank him out of that environment?
—Andy Swift, TVLine, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for yank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yank
Noun
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At the same time, there's something undeniably intoxicating about the pull of them being together, singing a song, snickering at inside jokes, making the kind of observations that only someone who has known you your whole life can.Shania Russell, EW.com, 13 Dec. 2024
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Hype Rug pulls, where developers launch a token or DeFi project, attract investors, and then disappear with the funds, are expected to increase.Becca Bratcher, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Your limbs, or even your entire upper body, may jerk or thrash in the process.Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
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Yanking a zipper shut is more likely to break teeth or jerk the slider off the track.Joe Jackson, Outside Online, 17 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Rather than going cold turkey on nightly dinner dates, try scaling back to just weekends, then using Thursday nights to grab drinks with your college pals.Jenna Ryu, SELF, 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
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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Low-voltage emissions cause the prey to involuntarily twitch.Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
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Locals twitched at their curtains and looked outside.James Horncastle, The Athletic, 2 July 2024
Verb
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Idiosyncratic boutique hotels are sprouting up, too, complete with creature comforts and artwork plucked from booming art scenes.Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Dec. 2024
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Trump is plucking several House lawmakers to serve in his administration, creating vacancies that will be filled in April or beyond.David Sivak, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 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
Verb
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The crew called the lead flight attendant onboard, but within a few seconds, the airplane lurched.Alexandra Skores, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
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In the end, UnitedHealth paid a bitcoin ransom worth some twenty-two million dollars, and the system lurched back online.Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near yank
Cite this Entry
“Yank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yank. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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