1. To take someone or something away from someone or something by pulling in a violent, wrenching manner. The man has been hailed as a hero for wrenching the gun away from the shooter before anyone was harmed. The officers wrenched my son from me before I had the chance to run.

2. To manage to obtain control or possession of something through some battle, struggle, or conflict with someone or something else. The rebels wrenched power from the dictatorship after five years of war. The political party finally managed to wrench control of congress away from their opponents for the first time in 10 years. You'll have to wrench the kids away from me in the courts.

3. To obtain or extract something, such as information, from someone or something, especially after much difficulty or persistence. We were finally able to wrench some answers from the spy we were interrogating. I've never been able to wrench any meaning away from abstract paintings—they always look just like splatters of paint to me.