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
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Recent Examples of wrenching
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
Carol remembers overhearing the gut-wrenching phone call between her father and her grandmother.
—Anna Turning, NBC News, 29 Dec. 2024
Synergy became key to the naturalism that makes the domestic drama so wrenching.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
The heart wrenching film, based on a book by author Colleen Hoover, follows a flower shop owner named Lily Blossom Bloom (Lively), who falls in love with a dashing neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni) and reconnects with her stoic childhood sweetheart, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar).
—Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2024
Her wrenching performances in Dublin brought her back to stardom on the London stage.
—Bob Blaisdell, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Dec. 2024
On Saturday, the franchise had to make another gut-wrenching injury announcement.
—Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Dec. 2024
But looking to bounce back from the sting of a gut-wrenching loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, the Lakers (13-11) took care of business, beating the Blazers 107-98 to end their three-game losing streak.
—Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 8 Dec. 2024
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
Carol remembers overhearing the gut-wrenching phone call between her father and her grandmother.
—Anna Turning, NBC News, 29 Dec. 2024
Synergy became key to the naturalism that makes the domestic drama so wrenching.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
The heart wrenching film, based on a book by author Colleen Hoover, follows a flower shop owner named Lily Blossom Bloom (Lively), who falls in love with a dashing neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni) and reconnects with her stoic childhood sweetheart, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar).
—Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2024
Her wrenching performances in Dublin brought her back to stardom on the London stage.
—Bob Blaisdell, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Dec. 2024
On Saturday, the franchise had to make another gut-wrenching injury announcement.
—Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Dec. 2024
But looking to bounce back from the sting of a gut-wrenching loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, the Lakers (13-11) took care of business, beating the Blazers 107-98 to end their three-game losing streak.
—Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 8 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrenching
Adjective
-
Andreeva decided to turn pro after losing an agonizing Australian Open girls final two years ago.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
The Athletic,
18 Jan. 2025
-
Her release brought indescribable relief, but each day before her name appeared on the list revealed the agonizing uncertainty families must endure.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
An executive order, delivered Friday, cites national security concerns for pulling the deal.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
3 Jan. 2025
-
Advertisement The lawsuit comes as insurers have been pulling back from California’s home insurance market en masse, often citing the risk of catastrophic events brought on by climate change.—
Andrea Chang,
Los Angeles Times,
3 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
Adjective
-
Editor’s picks ‘Brutal beatings’ Cooper and hundreds of Dozier students accused school wardens of torturous abuse over minor infractions, like whippings, beatings, forced labor, and medical neglect.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
15 Dec. 2024
-
Minuscule, meticulous, torturous, and incomprehensible to most mortals.—
Jean-Philippe Toussaint,
Harper's Magazine,
22 July 2024
Noun
-
Offerings include arts and crafts, caber toss, the haggis hurl, sheaf toss and tug of war in a non-competitive environment.—
Patrick Connolly,
Orlando Sentinel,
17 Jan. 2025
-
Investors expect volatility in the flagship cryptocurrency this year, with bitcoin stuck in a tug of war between investors’ concerns about rising inflation under Trump and their optimism over the his pro-crypto leadership.—
Tanaya Macheel,
CNBC,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
This injury not only caused excruciating pain but also forced her into a desperate situation where humans, slower and less elusive than her natural prey, became her sole means of survival.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
-
The harrowing reality is that Hamas may have once again learned a chilling lesson: that abducting Israelis is a devastatingly effective tactic to fracture Israeli society and extract excruciating concessions.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
As season three left fans with a jaw-dropping twist, this edition raises the stakes even higher.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
24 Jan. 2025
-
Each hour ends with a new cliffhanger, but none are as effective as the premiere twist — and most are more frustrating than tantalizing.—
Kristen Baldwin,
EW.com,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Late Tuesday night, social media was awash with dramatic images of the raging blaze, as well as the hilltop museum surrounded by flames ripping through its surrounding trees and vegetation.—
The Editors of ARTnews,
ARTnews.com,
8 Jan. 2025
-
The magazine said Gallagher provides vocals on the chorus, with Ryder taking on the verses, Starkey on drums, guitar, bass and keyboards and Bell ripping an extended guitar solo.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
8 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near wrenching
Cite this Entry
“Wrenching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrenching. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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