How to Use wrench in a Sentence

wrench

1 of 2 verb
  • She wrenched the toy from his grasp.
  • I tried to wrench free from his grip.
  • The statue was wrenched from its pedestal.
  • He wrenched his back when he tried to lift a heavy box.
  • I tried to wrench myself free from his grip.
  • His scraggly beard seems grown to be wrenched.
    — Roy Scranton august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
  • And too many were met with gut-wrenching news.
    — Kamye Hugley, Sun Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2026
  • Doctors had to forcibly wrench him from his mother at birth.
    — Emma Madden, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
  • The man then tackled the shooter and wrenched the gun away from him.
    — Anders Hagstrom , Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 14 Dec. 2025
  • That's about 17 more heart-wrenching twists of the knife than feels good.
    — Perri O. Blumberg, Redbook, 16 Oct. 2019
  • Then comes the wrenching graveyard scene.
    — Margaret Heidenry, Vanity Fair, 24 Dec. 2025
  • Despite the loss, one of the most thrilling, heart-wrenching games of the past five years.
    — Ann Killion, SFChronicle.com, 17 June 2019
  • The gut-wrenching loss was difficult to process.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
  • Why was his body found with its head wrenched in the opposite direction?
    — Louis Bayard, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2023
  • Dwight grabbed my arm, wrenching my hand out of my pocket, flaying it like a fish, pulling me along.
    — Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
  • Schools in the area have found themselves in wrenching debates over the topic.
    — oregonlive, 26 June 2023
  • This round is gearing up to have several heart-wrenching match-ups.
    — The Know Staff, The Know, 7 Dec. 2019
  • In the sober light of day, Arthur takes one look at the leach before him and wrenches it from its prey.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Heart breaking, gut wrenching story, people have had enough of this stuff.
    — Timothy Bella, Washington Post, 27 Sep. 2023
  • The soldier watched as the latest ambulance pulled through the gates and medics wrenched open the door.
    — Washington Post, 29 Oct. 2019
  • Both have kitchens and share outdoor space to wrench on bikes or celebrate post-ride with a cocktail.
    — Stephanie Pearson, Outside Online, 2 Nov. 2022
  • Nellie wrenched her knees closer to her body, began rocking.
    — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
  • On a wrenching three-hour drive from the mesa over old logging roads, seven black bears were sighted.
    — San Antonio Express-News, 18 Oct. 2019
  • Others speak of the heart-wrenching loss of ancestors' graves.
    — NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
  • No doubt the outfit was capable, but in that setting, the stick couldn’t wrench them in quick enough.
    — Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 8 Nov. 2023
  • That's just a gut-wrenching way to drop two points for a club teetering on the edge of the playoff line.
    — Avi Creditor, SI.com, 19 Aug. 2019
  • Both actresses have enough charisma to wrench the film from Stiles and Thomas.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Jan. 2021
  • As the plane twisted upward, the air pressure wrenched off another tail fin.
    — Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
  • Day and night are in disarray, animals are freaking out, and corpses are wrenched back to life.
    — Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 14 June 2019
  • In normal times, that would be unnerving news, a sign of storms coming and a climate wrenched awry.
    — Maryn McKenna, Wired, 4 May 2020

wrench

2 of 2 noun
  • It was a wrench to say goodbye to all my friends.
  • This could throw a wrench in the team's plans.
    — Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Use your wrench to loosen the bolt and remove it.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 June 2026
  • Brace the blade with your scrap wood, then use a wrench to tighten it.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 June 2026
  • Still, the hang-up throws a wrench into the rhythms of the whole day.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Jet lag can also throw a wrench into the works.
    — Cassie Shortsleeve, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The moon’s clash with Uranus throws a wrench in routines.
    — Usa Today, USA Today, 3 May 2026
  • But the dying throws a wrench into it.
    — David Manheim, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026
  • And a strong gust of wind can often throw a wrench into the whole thing.
    — New Atlas, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Leia grabbed a ratchet wrench and tightened some loose bolts on the ship.
    — Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Acme Tools also has a 20-piece wrench set.
    — Christopher Murray May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2025
  • The Cubs threw a wrench into the plan in the first inning.
    — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • But Tuesday’s joint statement threw a wrench in those plans.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Take your oil filter wrench and use it to loosen the filter and remove it.
    — Keenan Thompson, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Use an adjustable wrench to loosen and unscrew the old shower head.
    — Daniel Bortz, Washington Post, 30 June 2022
  • The trophy and wrench get their shiny silver coat from aluminum foil.
    — Deborah Way, Parents, 6 Oct. 2023
  • This is just throwing a wrench into my answer.
    — Emily Elias, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Then, the president himself threw a wrench in the plans.
    — Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 18 June 2026
  • When something breaks, the repair costs can throw a wrench in your budget.
    — Sharon Wu, USA Today, 9 June 2026
  • But global warming threw a wrench into this method.
    — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Use lockable pliers or a wrench if needed.
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Use lockable pliers or a wrench if needed.
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Use lockable pliers or a wrench if needed.
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Use lockable pliers or a wrench if needed.
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
  • To avoid damage, cover it with a microfiber cloth and use a wrench to grip around it.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 23 May 2026
  • To avoid damage, cover it with a microfiber cloth and use a wrench to grip around it.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025
  • Acid, such as the vinegar in Gurjar’s recipe, can throw a wrench in the plan.
    — Antara Sinha, Bon Appétit, 29 Oct. 2022
  • But then the movie throws a wrench into the affair by way of temptation.
    — K. Austin Collins, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2023
  • Torque wrenches are used to apply a specific amount of torque to a nut or bolt.
    — Keenan Thompson, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
  • But now the local paper is throwing a wrench into her rhythms.
    — Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wrench.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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