yankverb
uk/jæŋk/us/jæŋk/[ T usually + adv/prep ] informal to pull something forcefully with a quick movement:
He tripped over the cord and yanked the plug out.
She yanked open the cupboard door and everything fell out.
[ T often passive ] mainly US informal to suddenly remove someone or something:
I was yanked out of school and forced to go to work.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Pulling
- draft
- drag
- draught
- draw sth up
- haul
- heave
- heave-ho
- heft
- hitch sth up
- pluck
- pluck at sth
- reel
- reel sth in/out
- retract
- suck
- tow
- tow-away
- traction
- tweak
- twitch
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Removing and extracting
yank
noun [ C usually singular ] ukusinformal
Give the door a yank and it should open.