as in twisting
a forceful rotating or pulling motion for the purpose of dislodging something
no amount of wresting could loosen the rusted bolt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in pulling
to draw out by force or with effort
the boy wrested the book out of his sister's hands
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in extorting
to get (as money) by the use of force or threats
vowed that the bully had wrested his lunch money from him for the last time
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in earning
to get with great difficulty
farmers who were used to wresting a living from the harsh land
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in yanking
to move by or as if by a forceful rotation
I need a strong arm to wrest the lid off this pickle jar
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5
as in grabbing
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
wrested open the stuck door of the cabinet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wresting
Verb
-
Goldy still has one of those markers - excessive pulling - sitting unused in front of him.—
Tony Blengino,
Forbes,
3 Jan. 2025 -
An executive order, delivered Friday, cites national security concerns for pulling the deal.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The governor’s plan would make pre-K free for families earning up to $100,000 a year, and $20 a day for those earning up to $150,000.—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
31 Mar. 2025
-
Markley was an exceptional high school basketball player, earning All-District and All-Area honors.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The White Sox, though, had other ideas, grabbing Smith with the first pick of the draft for $100,000.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
-
The Ravens believe in drafting corners every year, and the first-round selection of Nate Wiggins in 2024 won’t prevent them from grabbing another cornerback early.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The catchy, melodious songs are carefully curated to tug at heartstrings, with lyrics that reflect similar memories and moments in one’s life.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
-
Netflix has won out in a tug of war for Richard Linklater‘s Breathless homage Nouvelle Vague after its Cannes Film Festival debut in the competition.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
26 May 2025
Verb
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On Thursday, Khalil and seven students identified by pseudonyms filed a lawsuit seeking to block a congressional committee from obtaining Columbia and Barnard College disciplinary records for students involved in campus protests.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
14 Mar. 2025
-
In statements to The Bee, both Toyota and Hyundai said the companies are aware that difficulty obtaining hydrogen fuel has upset their customers.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacramento Bee,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
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This is only the latest twist in a legal saga that started last October when 23XI and Front Row filed a lawsuit against NASCAR, arguing that they were unfairly shut out of charter ownership despite purchasing charters from Stewart-Haas Racing.—
Greg Engle,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
-
What did the major twist at the end of the movie mean?—
Caroline Blair,
People.com,
5 June 2025
Verb
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For others, the idea evokes gut-wrenching fear and anxiety.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
5 Jan. 2025
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The book’s most wrenching passages describe his administration’s treatment of the women, who were often assaulted by mobs while police looked on.—
Barbara Spindel,
The Christian Science Monitor,
2 Jan. 2025
Verb
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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
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Cite this Entry
“Wresting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wresting. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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