1. To pull, twist, or tear something with sudden force.
2. A tool used to grip and turn nuts, bolts, or other fittings.
3. A sharp emotional pain caused by parting or difficult change.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- wrench open
- wrench free
On the page
She wrenched the handle until the bolt gave way.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- wrench
- Past tense
- wrenched
- Past participle
- wrenched
- Present participle
- wrenching
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- wrench
- Present continuous
- am/is/are wrenching
- Present perfect
- have/has wrenched
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been wrenching
- Past
- wrenched
- Past continuous
- was/were wrenching
- Past perfect
- had wrenched
- Past perfect continuous
- had been wrenching
- Future
- will wrench
- Future continuous
- will be wrenching
- Future perfect
- will have wrenched
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been wrenching
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: wrench; wrenches; wrenched; wrenched; wrenching. Noun singular wrench; plural wrenches.. Noun singular wrench; plural wrenches. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: wrenches.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.