wrest

1
as in to pry
to draw out by force or with effort the boy wrested the book out of his sister's hands

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2
as in to extort
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

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3
as in to earn
to get with great difficulty farmers who were used to wresting a living from the harsh land

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4
5
as in to grab
to separate or remove by forceful pulling wrested open the stuck door of the cabinet

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of wrest To rescue InGen from bankruptcy, Hammond’s nephew — Peter Ludlow (Arliss Howard), who wrested control of the company away from his uncle after the park debacle — wants to exploit the dinosaurs. Will Harris, EW.com, 27 June 2025 Tim Kaine of Virginia has tried for years to wrest back Congress's authority to declare war from the White House. Patricia Zengerle, USA Today, 16 June 2025 Trump wrested control over the National Guard troops from California Gov. Gavin Newsom to deploy 2,000 to Los Angeles after less than 24 hours of protests across the city. Michael Wilner, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2025 There is an opportunity to wrest a positive outcome from the current tumult. Emily Kilcrease, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for wrest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrest
Verb
  • In 2023 South Carolina passed a bill called Gavin's Law that criminalized extorting minors or at-risk adults.
    Steve Weisman, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025
  • The goal is to steal confidential data and install ransomware to extort victim companies for millions in return.
    Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Earlier this year, five Tenet Healthcare hospitals sued a different hospital ratings organization called the Leapfrog Group after its hospitals earned low safety grades, according to the Miami Herald.
    Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 29 July 2025
  • Instead, the latest Marvel movie picks up with its titular foursome several years into their new careers, having already earned fame and respect as the only superheroes on their planet, known as Earth 828.
    EW.com, EW.com, 29 July 2025
Verb
  • Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.
    Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
  • The 13-minute performance will likely call for a healthy dose of vibrant, colored lighting to pull it all together.
    Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 10 Feb. 2023
Verb
  • Leave your troubles behind and grab a lime, because Thursday is National Tequila Day.
    Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 25 July 2025
  • Concerned, the roommates grabbed golf clubs from one of the first-floor bedrooms and checked the house for a possible intruder.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 24 July 2025
Verb
  • Before 1962, the maximum legal barrel entry proof was 110, but Stitzel-Weller went much further during production to extract and preserve as much flavor as possible.
    Chris Perugini, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • Steam clean by spraying and extracting in short passes, then let the carpet dry fully before checking for leftover spots.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • The Euro 2025 quarter-finals had late drama, with Italy squeezing past Norway, a comeback out of nowhere from England, and a farcical penalty shootout win over Sweden.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 20 July 2025
  • Then, squeeze your Magic Eraser a few times to activate the foaming bubbles.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 20 July 2025
Verb
  • Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis is planning a sweeping reorganization of Austin Police Department personnel that would reassign dozens of officers from specialized units to street patrol, according to an email obtained by the American-Statesman.
    Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 29 July 2025
  • According to footage obtained by TMZ, the 26-year-old was seen cozying up to NBA star Brandon Ingram, 27, during a birthday celebration in Mexico over the weekend.
    Shyla Watson, People.com, 28 July 2025
Verb
  • The roof and each side features an X-frame segment that converges at a central hub, and owners simply pull the structure into place by tugging on the loop on the outside of the hub.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 July 2025
  • The texture felt a bit dry and tugged during application—not the smoothest glide.
    The Glamour editors, Glamour, 21 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wrest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrest. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

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