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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 -
The Thunder trailed by 16 in the first half before pulling within 52-48 at halftime.—
Austin Knoblauch,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Markley was an exceptional high school basketball player, earning All-District and All-Area honors.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2025
-
Throughout his career, Robinson made an effort to sharpen his skills and increase his market value for employers, like by getting an MBA, earning nine certifications and eventually focusing his expertise in artificial intelligence — just as AI skills have become more in-demand and more lucrative.—
Jennifer Liu,
CNBC,
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
-
Duke of Cornwall) watched a team building exercise — tug of war! — and met with young farmers making up the next generation.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
26 Mar. 2025
-
There’s a kind of implicit prayer in this that the withering of today’s Hollywood system is a presage for something better, giving the entire production a painful, nostalgic quality that tugs at your chest even as what unfolds before you is remarkably dumb.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
The final decisive twist in this most enthralling of promotion races?—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
19 Apr. 2025
-
The knot on the front and the open rounded toe pay homage to your quintessential dress shoes, but the platform profile and wraparound ankle strap add an edgy twist.—
Nina Derwin,
Glamour,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
For others, the idea evokes gut-wrenching fear and anxiety.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
5 Jan. 2025
-
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
-
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
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.
Cite this Entry
“Wresting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wresting. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share