yanking

verb

Definition of yankingnext
present participle of yank
1
as in jerking
to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion she stupidly yanked the wheel while I was driving

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in pulling
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 grabbing
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for yanking
  1. pulling
  2. grabbing
  3. tearing
  4. ripping
Verb
  • An executive order, delivered Friday, cites national security concerns for pulling the deal.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
  • Advertisement The lawsuit comes as insurers have been pulling back from California’s home insurance market en masse, often citing the risk of catastrophic events brought on by climate change.
    Andrea Chang, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Definition of pulling
Verb
  • Edwards delivered in a big way, scoring a career-high 53 points, hitting 10 3-pointers and grabbing six rebounds.
    Jon Krawczynski, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
  • Allen — who has steadily received more playing time as the season has progressed based on his defense but has also shown flashes offensively and has displayed solid free-throw shooting — played the best of the bunch, scoring nine points in 22 minutes of play and grabbing five rebounds.
    Grant Salsman, Kansas City Star, 5 Jan. 2025
Definition of grabbing
Verb
  • Homages to the Bethesda games’ slow-motion kills are aplenty, with gratuitous shots of bullets tearing through bodies and painting the walls red.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Higbee was on the physically unable to perform list after tearing his back ACL and MCL last postseason.
    Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 22 Dec. 2024
Definition of tearing
Verb
  • The magazine said Gallagher provides vocals on the chorus, with Ryder taking on the verses, Starkey on drums, guitar, bass and keyboards and Bell ripping an extended guitar solo.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Late Tuesday night, social media was awash with dramatic images of the raging blaze, as well as the hilltop museum surrounded by flames ripping through its surrounding trees and vegetation.
    The Editors of ARTnews, ARTnews.com, 8 Jan. 2025
Definition of ripping
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near yanking

yanked

yanking

yanks

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Cite this Entry

“Yanking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yanking. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on yanking

Nglish: Translation of yanking for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of yanking for Arabic Speakers

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