Meaning of the word wrest in English

What does wrest mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

wrest

US /rest/

UK /rest/

forcibly pull (something) from a person's grasp

Example:

•

He managed to wrest the knife from his attacker.

•

The police had to wrest the child from the kidnapper's arms.

Synonym:

snatch seize grab wrench extract

take (something, especially power or control) from someone or something else, especially with effort or difficulty

Example:

•

They tried to wrest control of the company from the current management.

•

It was difficult to wrest the truth from him.

Synonym:

extract obtain force coerce extort