Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense wrests, present participle wresting, past tense, past participle wrested
1. verb
If you wrest something from someone else, you take it from them, especially when this is difficult or illegal.
[journalism, literary]
For the past year he has been trying to wrest control from the central government. [VERB noun + from]
The men had returned to wrest back power. [V n with back]
[Also V n with away]
Synonyms: seize, take, win, extract More Synonyms of wrest
2. verb
If you wrest something from someone who is holding it, you take it from them by pulling or twisting it violently.
[literary]
He wrested the suitcase from the chauffeur. [VERB noun + from]
He was attacked by a security man who tried to wrest away a gas cartridge. [V n with away]
Synonyms: pull, force, strain, seize More Synonyms of wrest
wrest in British English
(rɛst)
verb(transitive)
1.
to take or force away by violent pulling or twisting
2.
to seize forcibly by violent or unlawful means
3.
to obtain by laborious effort
4.
to distort in meaning, purpose, etc
noun
5.
the act or an instance of wresting
6. archaic
a small key used to tune a piano or harp
Derived forms
wrester (ˈwrester)
noun
Word origin
Old English wrǣstan; related to Old Norse reista. See writhe
wrest in American English
(rɛst)
verb transitive
1.
to turn or twist; esp., to pull or force away violently with a twisting motion
2.
to take or extract by force; usurp; extort; wring
3.
to distort or change the true meaning, purpose, use, etc. of; pervert; twist
noun
4.
the act of wresting; a twist; wrench
Derived forms
wrester (ˈwrester)
noun
Word origin
ME wresten < OE wræstan, to twist violently, akin to ON reista < IE base *wer-, to turn, bend, twist > writhe
Examples of 'wrest' in a sentence
wrest
The Democrats will require a swing of five seats to wrest back control.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The army has been unable to wrest back control of parts of eastern Ukraine from rebels.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Far from battling to wrest back the initiative, they panic and make their position worse.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Their skins will become loose, wrinkled and easy to wrest away.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Ministers who have just resigned see it differently, and as a last chance to wrest control of the democratic process.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This is a welcome sign that ministers are prepared to tackle the issue of drift and to wrest control from councils that lack a sense of urgency.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
They were trying to wrest control of the issue through this draconian measure, but reopening implicitlyrecognises that the grounds for closure were spurious.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
No one can blame Scots for wanting to wrest some control over their lives back from London.
Arthur Herman THE SCOTTISH ENLIGHTENMENT: The Scots' Invention of the Modern World (2002)
When it comes to women's bodies, people are always eager to wrest away control.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Cosmetics are the means by which I would wrest back control, only today all control is abandoned.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
wrest
British English: wrest VERB
If you wrest something from someone else, you take it from them, especially when this is difficult or illegal.
For the past year he has been trying to wrest control from the central government.
American English: wrest
Brazilian Portuguese: tomar
Chinese: 谋篡
European Spanish: arrebatar
French: arracher
German: abringen
Italian: strappare
Japanese: 奪取する
Korean: 억지로 얻어내다
European Portuguese: tomar
Latin American Spanish: arrebatar
1 (verb)
Definition
to seize forcibly by violent or unlawful means
He has been trying to wrest control from the central government.
Synonyms
seize
Troops have seized the airport and radio stations.
take
She took the bike by the handles before it swerved into the ditch.
win
extract
2 (verb)
Definition
to take (something) away from someone with a violent pull or twist
She wrested the suitcase from the chauffeur's grasp.
Synonyms
pull
I helped pull him out of the water.
force
The police forced the door of the flat and arrested him.
strain
He strained his back during a practice session.
seize
twist
She sat there twisting her handkerchief for a while.
extract
He tried to extract further information from the witness.
wrench
They wrenched open the passenger door and got into the car.
wring
He hoped to put pressure on the British and wring concessions from them.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of extract
Definition
to obtain (money, information, etc.) from someone who is not willing to provide it
He tried to extract further information from the witness.
Synonyms
elicit,
get,
obtain,
force,
draw,
gather,
derive,
exact,
bring out,
evoke,
reap,
wring,
glean,
coerce,
wrest
in the sense of force
Definition
to break down or open (a lock, door, etc.)
The police forced the door of the flat and arrested him.
Synonyms
break open,
blast,
wrench,
prise,
open,
wrest,
use violence on
in the sense of strain
Definition
to injure or damage (oneself or a part of one's body) by overexertion
He strained his back during a practice session.
Synonyms
injure,
wrench,
sprain,
damage,
pull,
tear,
hurt,
twist,
rick,
impair,
overexert
Nearby words of
wrest
wreckage
wren
wrench
wrest
wrestle
wretch
wretched
Synonyms of 'wrest'
wrest
Explore 'wrest' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of take
She took the bike by the handles before it swerved into the ditch.
Synonyms
grip,
grab,
seize,
catch,
grasp,
clutch,
get hold of,
clasp,
take hold of,
lay hold of
in the sense of twist
Definition
to wrench with a turning action
She sat there twisting her handkerchief for a while.
Synonyms
wring,
squeeze,
knead,
mangle,
mangulate (Australian, slang)
in the sense of wrench
Definition
to twist or pull (something) violently, for example to remove it from something to which it is attached
They wrenched open the passenger door and got into the car.
Synonyms
twist,
force,
pull,
tear,
rip,
tug,
jerk,
yank,
wring,
wrest
in the sense of wring
Definition
to obtain by forceful means
He hoped to put pressure on the British and wring concessions from them.