wrest

Definition of wrestnext
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 Prasad and top drug regulator Tracy Beth Høeg have wrested control of vaccine surveillance from career staff. Lizzy Lawrence, STAT, 6 Mar. 2026 In 2012, Manbij became one of the first Syrian cities to wrest itself from the tyranny of the dictator Bashar al-Assad. Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026 Fast forward to 2025 when the total outlays are now north of $7 trillion a year, more than a 360% increase in national spending in the 30 years since term limits were wrested from the American public. Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2026 Last August, Howard Stern attempted to wrest news of a Metallica Sphere residency during an interview with Ulrich. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrest
Verb
  • The scam operations typically involve bogus investment schemes and feigned romances that collectively extort tens of billions of dollars from victims around the world every year.
    ABC News, ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The hackers behind the botnets then sold access to cybercriminals, resulting in hundreds of thousands of DDoS attacks that could also try to extort victims.
    Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The candidates earned a median annual income of $489,000 from 2021 to 2025, a total that in most cases includes their spouse’s income.
    Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Respect yourself to earn respect from others.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The strong currents from flash floods can pull drivers off roadways.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2026
  • After Giants shortstop Willy Adames' throw on Semien's infield single pulled first baseman Jerar Encarnacion off the bag, third baseman Chapman made a throwing error that allowed one run to score.
    CBS News, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Making his fifth start of the season in Queta’s absence, the backup center tallied 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds.
    Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Miami is now 10-2 this season when grabbing more than 15 offensive rebounds.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Soderbergh extracts some fun from the ensuing cat-and-mouse logistics, from Lori’s meticulous duplication of the Christophers to Julian’s efforts to bluff her into admitting her true intentions.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Defense attorneys had lined up a Texas lab regarded as one of the most respected in the nation, with the head of that lab testifying that the testing and analysis of any DNA that could be extracted would take two weeks or less.
    Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Skiers and snowboarders trying to squeeze the last bits of winter fun from Colorado‘s meager snowpack will have one less option after this week, with Vail Resort set to close 11 days sooner than planned.
    Katie Langford, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
  • The disruption has not only sent fuel prices soaring, but has squeezed supplies of petrochemicals needed to make everyday items like shoes, clothing and plastic bags.
    Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The new summer blockbuster will follow Supergirl's three-day mission to obtain a cure for her superdog and friend, Krypto, who is poisoned by villainous alien Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts).
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Coggins said the deportation violated due process rights and protections under DACA, which Estrada Juarez obtained in 2013.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • To play for Hurley is to understand that taking a play off is not acceptable, that bending over and tugging at your short hems – a sure sign, in Hurley’s estimation, of weakness – will earn you either a death stare or a run up the steps.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The movie was a major success, tugging at the heartstrings of pet owners everywhere.
    Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wrest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrest. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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