yank

Pull with force

To yank is to pull with a sharp, sudden motion: She yanked the door open, He yanked his arm free.

The noun is the pull itself: Give it a good yank.

The word suggests more force or abruptness than a simple pull. (Capitalized Yank is informal for an American.)

pull

tug

Short forceful pull

jerkAbrupt pulling motion
wrenchTool for turning fasteners
snatchRapid forceful taking

pluck · drag · haul · heave · hoist · draw · extract · rip · tear · grab

sudden

abrupt

Sharp and unexpected

sharpFine-edged, or astute
quickMoving with speed
swiftMoving with speed

snap · jolt · lurch · startle · unexpected · impulsive · forceful · violent · rough · hasty

force

muscle

Contractile body tissue

strengthPower to exert force
powerEnergy transfer rate
tractionAdhesive friction enabling movement

effort · strain · leverage · grip · momentum · exertion · thrust · resistance · tension

Categories

ropinglasso, lariat, roping, lassoing, dally
exertionsstrain, struggle, strive, toil, labor
forceful movementspush, shove, thrust, propel, ram
pullingpull, tug, drag, haul, tow
Y wordsyacht, yahoo, yak, yam, yang
editor commandsundo, redo, copy, paste, delete

Opposites

direction of force

yankpush

Force something away

shove · thrust · ram · jam · heave

removal vs. insertion

Place within another thing

stuff · cram · wedge · implant · jam

force intensity

yankease

Lack of strain

coax · nudge · tease out · guide · slide

Phrases

yank your chain
yanking aroundPulling erratically in directions
yank someone's chainProvoke for amusement
Yankee DoodleRevolutionary-era American march
yanking someone's chainProvoking for amusement
yanked aroundTreated dismissively, inconsistently

Family

yanked, yanks, yanking, Yankee

Familiarity: Top 100,000
Profile: Known to kids · Mostly American · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G