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
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
Noel Murray, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025
Those two cases intersect and open up a vault of family secrets while landing Kat into hot water with her boss (Richard Armitage) as she gets yanked off the case and then taps the skill set of a new internet whiz kid Charlie (Charlie Hamblett).
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 1 Jan. 2025
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
Some scenes this week barely last a minute before we’re rushed to another part of the silo for another scene, which barely gets going before we’re yanked away again, and so on.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025
Those two cases intersect and open up a vault of family secrets while landing Kat into hot water with her boss (Richard Armitage) as she gets yanked off the case and then taps the skill set of a new internet whiz kid Charlie (Charlie Hamblett).
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 1 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for yank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yank
Noun
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Apart from its versatility, the librarian cut's real pull comes down to its individuality and making a feature of the heft a cowlick offers.—
Fiona Embleton,
Glamour,
25 Jan. 2025
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By tapping into the emotional pull of the past and weaving it into immersive, artistic experiences, brands can stand out and leave a deeper impression on their customers.—
Rhett Power,
Rolling Stone,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Previously the two were able to disable brakes, honk the horn, jerk the seat belt, and control the steering wheel using a laptop in the back of both a Toyota Prius and Ford Escape.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
28 Dec. 2024
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Dad nodded his approval again and the kid did as instructed, reflexively jerking his hand away as the starter began to churn the 117-cubic inch motor.—
William Roberson,
Forbes,
16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In the hills of the Palisades, near the Temescal Ridge Trail, Alex Emerick, 34, his younger sister, Rainier, and their parents grabbed garden hoses at their home of 33 years.—
Laura J. Nelson,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Jan. 2025
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The witness jumped in to assist and grab the knife, cutting himself in the process.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
25 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Offerings include arts and crafts, caber toss, the haggis hurl, sheaf toss and tug of war in a non-competitive environment.—
Patrick Connolly,
Orlando Sentinel,
17 Jan. 2025
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Investors expect volatility in the flagship cryptocurrency this year, with bitcoin stuck in a tug of war between investors’ concerns about rising inflation under Trump and their optimism over the his pro-crypto leadership.—
Tanaya Macheel,
CNBC,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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As the omen begins to descend onto Karen’s house, the hairs of the mermaids’ arms stand up; their scales twitch in fear.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
16 Dec. 2024
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Not the American economy, which twitched from panic to triumph to panic and, in 1907, had to be bailed out with private funds from Morgan and his associates.—
Jackson Arn,
The New Yorker,
21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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For Hodge, having to squat naked and pluck out her eye was nothing compared with what would follow.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
23 Jan. 2025
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More than 750 northern tidewater gobies were plucked from a lagoon ravaged by the Palisades fire and transferred to aquariums.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In floor remarks Saturday morning, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer ripped into the Trump administration for the move, saying that the dismissals are a possible violation of federal law.—
Katherine Faulders,
ABC News,
25 Jan. 2025
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His logic for ripping Taylor Swift and Caitlin Clark for doing nothing more than watching a Chiefs game made no sense at all.—
Bob Raissman,
New York Daily News,
25 Jan. 2025
Verb
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With a little modulation in either mode, the throttle is responsive without lurching.—
Kristin Shaw,
Forbes,
13 Jan. 2025
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But Fleming And John play their unholy hybrid with absolute conviction, the drums thundering and guitars lurching as Fleming McWilliams howls out her best Robert Plant.—
Marc Hirsh,
Vulture,
21 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near yank
Cite this Entry
“Yank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yank. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
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