Verb He tried to wrest control of the company from his uncle. the boy wrested the book out of his sister's hands

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The purpose of all these reforms was to wrest power from the grip of a domineering economic elite and place it in the hands of regular citizens. Win Mccormack, The New Republic, "From I to We," 17 Sep. 2020

Strategists believe law and order is an issue that could help him wrest the initiative back from Biden, who has a healthy poll lead. Rob Crilly, Washington Examiner, "Trump vows not to let mobs trample freedoms as he honors North Carolina WWII effort," 2 Sep. 2020

With its jubilant final act, the seasonal quartet assures that Smith will be studied for decades to come, a beacon to future readers eager to wrest meaning from our turbulent moment. Ali Smith, Star Tribune, "Review: 'Summer,' by Ali Smith," 21 Aug. 2020

To hold everything in place, New Jersey was the first state to try to wrest control of coastal sediment flows from nature by erecting seawalls and jetties and bulkheads, and today virtually none of its coastline is untouched by human intervention. Jen Schwartz, Scientific American, "Surrendering to Rising Seas," 1 Aug. 2018

The District 9 seat is one of the two races Florida Democrats are targeting in an attempt to wrest control of the Senate from Republicans for the first time in decades. Steven Lemongello, orlandosentinel.com, "Republican Brodeur and new group launch false attacks on Democrat Sigman in key Senate race," 3 Sep. 2020

Anthony Huber, who was carrying a skateboard, was shot in the chest after apparently trying to wrest the gun from Rittenhouse, the complaint said. Jonathan Lemire, Anchorage Daily News, "Trump fuels racial tensions with visit to Wisconsin city riven by protests over police shooting of Black man," 1 Sep. 2020

One man, identified as 26-year-old Anthony Huber, swung at Rittenhouse with his skateboard while trying to wrest the gun from the teen’s hands, prosecutors said. Washington Post, "In the midst of the fatal Kenosha shooting, one victim confronted the gunman with a skateboard," 30 Aug. 2020

Anthony Huber, 26, of Silver Lake, was shot in the chest after apparently trying to wrest the gun from Rittenhouse, the complaint said. Arkansas Online, "Teen charged in Kenosha killings stalls return to Wisconsin," 28 Aug. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wrest.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.