as in agonizing
intensely or unbearably painful
forced to make the emotionally wrenching decision to place her mother in a nursing home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in twisting
a forceful rotating or pulling motion for the purpose of dislodging something
after a lot of wrenching and tugging, the plumber managed to pull the stubborn pipe free
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in pulling
to move by or as if by a forceful rotation
with one last sharp yank, he wrenched the lid off the bottle of ketchup
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in damaging
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure
wrenched her shoulder by all of that heavy lifting
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in tearing
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
wrenched the post out of the ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 wrenching
EW.com, 3 Oct. 2024
Portraying John Norman Howard in the heart-wrenching 1976 romantic drama opposite Streisand’s Esther Hoffman led him to a Golden Globe win for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy the following year.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2024
Continuing along the current path is a sure recipe for economic disaster, and the government will almost certainly have to restructure its debt and begin wrenching reforms.
—Michael Shifter, Foreign Affairs, 10 Mar. 2016
Verb
In a gut-wrenching scene that drew criticism after the film's premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, The Apprentice depicts the future president raping his wife.
—EW.com, 3 Oct. 2024
Portraying John Norman Howard in the heart-wrenching 1976 romantic drama opposite Streisand’s Esther Hoffman led him to a Golden Globe win for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy the following year.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2024
Continuing along the current path is a sure recipe for economic disaster, and the government will almost certainly have to restructure its debt and begin wrenching reforms.
—Michael Shifter, Foreign Affairs, 10 Mar. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrenching
Adjective
-
These decisions are already inherently agonizing in and of themselves, only to be compounded by the uncertainty of what will and will not be covered by insurance.Renee Hsia, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
-
Navigating long-term health care for older adults is an agonizing challenge faced by millions of people across the U.S.Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
As for the ocean capacity limitations assisting in the growth of air bookings, cargo-carrying vessels throughout the late summer cramped up amid a flurry of factors including the ongoing avoidance of the Red Sea, ensuing port congestion and a pulling forward of the peak shipping season.Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 4 Oct. 2024
-
When the night’s at its blackest, this is for those who are holding the light, guiding the lost and pulling us through.Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
She was limited to buying boys’ basketball shoes as a high schooler in the 2010s before tearing her ACL.Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 2 Oct. 2024
-
Ten months after tearing his right knee’s anterior cruciate ligament, Hufanga made his season debut last Sunday, recording seven tackles and playing 53-of-58 defensive snaps in a 27-24 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2024
Adjective
-
According to the political scientist Pierre Englebert, the Congolese government and people lose as much as $4 billion in revenue every year due to state agents’ manipulation of mining contracts and payments, torturous budget practices, and outright theft.Stephen R. Weissman, Foreign Affairs, 8 June 2015
-
The right boots, however, can make previously torturous bell-to-bell days no big deal.Drew Zieff, Outside Online, 9 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
Chen’s quiet resilience, alongside Wang’s emotional fervor, perfectly encapsulates the tug of war between parental expectations and adolescent rebellion.Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 22 Nov. 2024
-
That's because of the constant tug of gravity between the moon, Earth and sun.John Tufts, The Courier-Journal, 22 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
An excruciating pause followed, pregnant enough to suggest triplets.Taylor Eff, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
-
In worst-case scenarios, some owners make the excruciating decision between a poor quality of life for their dog, or euthanizing the animal to end its suffering, vets told USA TODAY.Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
Finally, with a twist of the ambient magnetic field, tiny tornadoes swirl into existence, pirouetting in the darkness.Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 6 Nov. 2024
-
But the reviews were great and online chatter picked up in the latter half of its run — particularly its final three episodes, which revealed a slew of twists about the title character and her teen sidekick (played by Locke).Josef Adalian, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
Wildfires are typically regarded as a summer event, ripping through forests and homes in the hotter months.Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2024
-
Find out more tips, plus recommendations for tights that are less prone to ripping.Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 11 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near wrenching
Cite this Entry
“Wrenching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrenching. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share