wrench
verb
\ Ërench
\
\
wrenched;
wrenching;
wrenches
Definition of wrench
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: to move with a violent twist
also
: to undergo twisting
2
: to pull or strain at something with violent twisting
1
: to twist violently
2
: to injure or disable by a violent twisting or straining
wrenched her back
4a
: to pull or tighten by violent twisting or with violence
b
: to snatch forcibly : wrest
5
: to cause to suffer mental anguish : rack entry 2
wrench
nounDefinition of wrench (Entry 2 of 2)
1a
: a violent twisting or a pull with or as if with twisting
b
: a sharp twist or sudden jerk straining muscles or ligaments
also
: the resultant injury (as of a joint)
c
: a distorting or perverting alteration
d
: acute emotional distress : sudden violent mental change
2
: a hand or power tool for holding, twisting, or turning an object (such as a bolt or nut)
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Other Words from wrench
Verb
wrenchingly
\ Ëren-chiĆ-lÄ
\
adverb
\
adverb
Synonyms for wrench
Synonyms: Verb
Synonyms: Noun
twist, twisting, wrenching, wresting, wringing
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Examples of wrench in a Sentence
Verb
I tried to wrench free from his grip. I tried to wrench myself free from his grip. He wrenched his back when he tried to lift a heavy box. She wrenched the toy from his grasp. The statue was wrenched from its pedestal.Noun
It was a wrench to say goodbye to all my friends. with a sharp wrench of the hammer I pulled the nail from the board
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
The intergenerational tension feels more like wrenching, or perhaps punting. — Wired, "WIRED's 13 Must-Read Books for Fall," 12 Sep. 2019 Even worse, Martinez was forced from the game after his leg got wrenched on a questionable tackle. — Mike Singer, The Denver Post, "Nebraska left stunned after Coloradoâs thrilling comeback win: âWe were better than that teamâ," 7 Sep. 2019 Other reporters in the region agreed with their assertion that the end of the paper is gut-wrenching. — Brian Stelter, CNN, "In Youngstown, Ohio, the local paper celebrated its 150th year in business. Now it's closing," 30 June 2019 The region had spiraled into a crisis far worse than even its normal, wrenching poverty. — Kevin Baker, Harper's magazine, "Where Our New World Begins," 10 May 2019 The prime minister was already steering Britain towards a no-deal Brexit that would hit the economy, wrench at the union and cause a lasting rift with international allies. — The Economist, "How Parliament can stop Boris Johnsonâs no-deal Brexit," 29 Aug. 2019 Struggling to keep her guinea pig cafe open and butting up against the strain of family and friendships, Fleabag brings audiences into her deliciously messy life with plenty of bawdy humor, winking asides, and gut-wrenching truths. — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, "Phoebe Waller-Bridge's one-woman show version of Fleabag is headed to movie theaters," 28 Aug. 2019 Forgetting is inextricably tied to endings, to forgiveness, and to death, and the book is at times wrenching: victors obscure inhuman massacres; Hydeâs elderly mother has forgotten his name. — Douglas Preston, The New Yorker, "Briefly Noted," 27 Aug. 2019 No one knows just what impact the buildup of CO2 will have, but some scientists fear that the globe will begin to warm up, bringing on wrenching climate changes. — Mahita Gajanan, Time, "Environmentalists Have Been Warning About Amazon Fires for Decades. The Stakes Are Now Higher Than Ever," 23 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
City workers and other pros turn wrenches side by side with club members, and city inspectors sign off on the job afterward. — Steve Rubenstein, SFChronicle.com, "Work is childâs play as Napa volunteer, 92, keeps building swings and slides," 30 Aug. 2019 Emotionally, the film operates in a classic Gray area, with barely perceptible eddies that build to a mighty existential wrench. — Rachel Yang, EW.com, "First Ad Astra reviews say Brad Pitt shines in thoughtful, slightly familiar movie," 29 Aug. 2019 Homeowners often wield hammers, wrenches and brushes themselves for home improvement projects in order to save money and boost the value of their home. — Chicago Tribune Staff, chicagotribune.com, "Daywatch: A look at Lightfootâs first 100 days, tens of thousands of Cook County pot convictions will be automatically expunged and other things to know to start your day," 28 Aug. 2019 China and North Korea have long sought to reduce the US military presence in Northeast Asia by throwing wrenches in the trilateral relationship between Washington, Seoul and Tokyo. — Joshua Berlinger, CNN, "North Korea and China are huge winners in the worsening Japan-South Korea spat," 23 Aug. 2019 From under the car, Steve asked for a wrench, so Braiden went into the garage in search of one. — Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, "Braiden Schirtzinger is non-binary, pregnant and about to take on the most gendered role of all," 16 Aug. 2019 Soon came the subsequent introduction of cordless impact drivers and impact wrenches permitted power-driving even the very longest, thickest screws. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "When To Use Nails Vs. Screws," 6 Aug. 2019 The risk is existential for the United Kingdom, as Brexit wrenches at the bonds with Scotland and Northern Ireland. — The Economist, "To stop no-deal, Tory MPs must be ready to bring down Boris Johnson," 27 July 2019 Not now, amid our own seismic evolution, one that some days pulls us forward, yet, on other days, wrenches us frighteningly backward. — Roy S. Johnson | Rjohnson@al.com, al.com, "Johnson: Atlanta â96 shows how to make World Games succeed," 21 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wrench.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for wrench
wrench
verb
English Language Learners Definition of wrench
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to twist and pull with a sudden violent motion
: to injure (a part of your body) by making a violent twisting motion
: to take (something) by using force