wrenched; wrenching; wrenches
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
4
a
: 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
1
a
: 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)
Synonyms
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
JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
The process of wrenching unchecked power from a Sunni minority and bestowing it on a Shiite majority would have produced a violent backlash, no matter the circumstances.
—David Petraeus, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2024
Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 27 June 2024
Solly: The very next morning there was actually a worker who saw Bobby’s leg sticking out of the culvert, which really threw a wrench in Leopold and Loeb’s plans.
—Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for wrench 
Verb
The idea of barbarian invasions comes from the nineteenth century, when they were constructed as the decisive event that wrenched the West into modernity.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
The process of wrenching unchecked power from a Sunni minority and bestowing it on a Shiite majority would have produced a violent backlash, no matter the circumstances.
—David Petraeus, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2024
Noun
Instead, the tools his dealerships rely on to make sales, keep track of inventory and manage customer relationships, have been inoperative for more than one week — throwing a wrench in his vehicle and auto parts sales and repairs business.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 27 June 2024
Solly: The very next morning there was actually a worker who saw Bobby’s leg sticking out of the culvert, which really threw a wrench in Leopold and Loeb’s plans.
—Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for wrench
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wrench.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Wrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wrench. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wrench
2 of 2 noun1
a
: a violent twisting or pull
b
: a sharp twist or sudden jerk that strains muscles or ligaments
also
: the injury caused by this
2
: a tool for holding, twisting, or turning (as nuts and bolts)
Medical Definition
wrench
1 of 2 transitive verb
: to injure or disable by a violent twisting or straining
slipped and wrenched her back
wrench
2 of 2 noun
: a sharp twist or sudden jerk straining muscles or ligaments
also
: the resultant injury (as of a joint)
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