wrest

[rest]

verb (used with object)

1. to twist or turn; pull, jerk, or force by a violent twist.

   Synonyms: wring

2. to take away by force.

   to wrest a knife from a child.

3. to get by effort.

   to wrest a living from the soil.

   Synonyms: wring

4. to twist or turn from the proper course, application, use, meaning, or the like; wrench.

noun

1. a wresting; twist or wrench.

2. a key or small wrench for tuning stringed musical instruments, as the harp or piano, by turning the pins to which the strings are fastened.

wrest

/ rɛst /

verb

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

1. the act or an instance of wresting

2. archaic,  a small key used to tune a piano or harp

Other Word Forms

• wrester noun
• unwrested adjective
• unwresting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrest¹

First recorded before 1000; (verb) Middle English wresten, Old English wrǣstan “to turn, twist,” from unattested Old Norse wreista ( Icelandic reista ); akin to wrist; (noun) Middle English, derivative of the verb and first recorded in 1350-1400

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrest¹

Old English wrǣstan; related to Old Norse reista. See _writhe

Synonym Study

See extract.

Example Sentences

The late Abbasid caliphs militarized their economy in an effort to wrest control from the dominant merchants.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Today, Google still dominates and “No existing rival has wrested market share from Google,” he said in his opinion.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It appeared to be an opportunity for each contender to stack up wins, build late-season momentum and try to wrest away control of a division race that the Dodgers currently lead by two games.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He muscled it into the cage elevator, leashes in hand, the machine balanced against his hip like a prize wrested from fate.

Read more on Salon

"It is unfortunate that while the family and I are still in mourning, some people have chosen this as an opportune time to wrest control and usurp the family legacy," she wrote.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• exact 
• extort 
• extract 
• seize 
• usurp 
• wrench 
• wring