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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of yank
Chris Ciolli, AFAR Media, 15 July 2025
Running on a level surface (in supportive shoes—see above!) can serve as plenty a cardio workout without the extra yank on your plantar fascia.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 20 June 2025
Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 15 May 2026
The move yanked King from her role as chair.
—Tess Riski
may 14, Miami Herald, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for yank
Noun
Visitors to China will want to lighten their grip, while folks introducing themselves to Germans should know to stop after one firm downward yank.
—Chris Ciolli, AFAR Media, 15 July 2025
Running on a level surface (in supportive shoes—see above!) can serve as plenty a cardio workout without the extra yank on your plantar fascia.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 20 June 2025
Verb
Calling out the Chiefs fan for being a bandwagoner was funny, as was Aqib Talib’s chain bit against the Raiders, calling back to when Talib yanked a chain off of former Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree.
—Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 15 May 2026
The move yanked King from her role as chair.
—Tess Riski
may 14, Miami Herald, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for yank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yank
Noun
-
Agents favor structured, verifiable signals over recognition or emotional pull.—
Zac Brandenberg,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
The open floor plan meanders its way around to a cozy family room and a formal dining room, along with a spacious vaulted kitchen featuring Shaker-style cabinetry with gold pulls, an eat-in island, an apron-front sink, and an accompanying breakfast nook.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of seizures can include short-term confusion, staring spells, stiff muscles and jerking movements of the arms and legs.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
-
Avoid jerking the floss or aggressive movements; instead, use smooth, gentle motions.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Denise ascended the stairs, yelling at Djena all the way up, then grabbed Djena by the collar and began hitting her.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
To make one, grab a clean, thick sock (preferably a larger one) and fill it with uncooked rice, oats, or flaxseed.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
What was remarkable about Newcastle was how one tug on the thread caused Nuno’s players to unravel.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
Aqua Lares, originally known as Giant I, was built as an icebreaking tug in 1974 by the Dutch shipyard IHC Verschure.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
My jaw twitched uncontrollably.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
-
Here, American fighter planes, cargo ships and Japanese freighters have spent decades transforming into thriving artificial reefs, draped in coral and surrounded by twitching clouds of tropical fish.—
Dea Jusufi,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
There’s no foraging, no organic garden to pluck basil and chili peppers from, no local butchery next door…and if there isn’t enough food flown in to account for multi-day weather delays?—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 May 2026
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The aftermath of one of Otto’s decisions gives Beever as Léna some rich material to work through, but strands Machado-Graner to an extent, including in a short subplot that feels like it was plucked from an entirely different screenplay.—
Josh Slater-Williams,
IndieWire,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Videos captured a rioter ripping a mask off Hodges as he was pinned against a door during a fight for control of a tunnel entrance.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
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Numbers like that savagely rip at the time-space continuum in ways piston-engine cars simply cannot.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
So between those two things, the balance of gerrymanders has lurched pretty abruptly toward the right.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, federal policy has lurched in opposite directions.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Yank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yank. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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