yanked

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "yanked" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe a sudden or forceful pull or removal of something. Example: "He yanked the door open in frustration, eager to leave the room."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

There is always a tinge of sadness when any footballer leaves his boyhood club, not least at a time in the Premier League when young English players aren't so much nurtured gently to maturity as yanked squealing into the light and then hurled beneath the wheels of the machine at the first downward wrench of the gears.

The Guardian - Sport

(Indeed, Gundlach has been one of the beneficiaries of Gross's downfall, pulling in some of the money that investors have yanked from Pimco Total Return).

The Guardian - Money

The only one of my sons, one of four I have left, who remembered the last time and without thinking seized two of his children by the hair and yanked them out".

The Guardian

The Sun has yanked out that old photo of Ed Miliband and the sandwich, screaming a fiery-eyed warning to readers about the repercussions of letting the country be run by someone who'll intermittently allow themselves to be strung up by mischievous picture editors.

The Guardian

At one point, John lost control and was yanked off the boat, landing face-down in the sea and getting a lungful of salt water.

The Guardian - Travel

She struts convincingly around the opening bars and then disaster: as her cape is yanked off she's pulled off her podium and clatters to the floor!

The Guardian - Music

"He just pulled down his pants and yanked it out.

The Guardian - Film

Nevertheless, Farnsworth has achieved something extraordinary: he has yanked into the open an £85bn subsidy that big business and the government would rather you didn't know about.

The Guardian - Opinion

The first yanked the task of drawing electoral districts (state and congressional) from gerrymandering politicians and placed it with independent commissions.

The Economist

If only a fraction of that capital is yanked out by jittery investors it would turn a sell-off into a rout.Past episodes of dollar strength and rising Treasury yields were followed by currency and debt crises in Latin America in the early 1980s and Asia in the mid-1990s.

The Economist

He was zapped with an electric cattle prod and yanked off the floor to the "woodshed", a back room where his hand was smashed with a rubber mallet—"less likely to leave a mark," explained Lefty to Player magazine in 2005.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "yanked" to convey a sense of suddenness and force in pulling, especially when describing actions that are abrupt or unexpected. Choose it when you want to emphasize the lack of control or smoothness in the movement.

Common error

Avoid using "yanked" in highly formal or technical writing where a more neutral term like "removed" or "extracted" might be more appropriate. The word carries a connotation of forcefulness that isn't always suitable.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "yanked" is that of a verb, specifically the past tense and past participle of "yank". It describes a completed action of pulling something with a sudden, forceful motion. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable status.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

72%

Formal & Business

14%

Science

14%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "yanked" functions as the past tense of the verb "yank", describing a sudden, forceful pulling action. Ludwig AI confirms that it is grammatically correct and usable in written English. While it's frequently found in news and media contexts, it might be less appropriate in highly formal or academic settings, where alternatives like "extracted" or "removed" could be more suitable. When using "yanked", focus on conveying a sense of abruptness and intensity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

jerked

Implies a sudden, sharp pull with a quick, abrupt motion.

tugged

Suggests a strong pull, often repeated or continuous.

wrenched

Describes a violent or forceful twisting pull, often causing damage.

snatched

Indicates a quick, grab-and-pull action, often associated with theft.

extracted

Emphasizes the removal of something from a confined space with force.

plucked

Signifies a quick and precise removal, often with the fingers.

dragged

Involves pulling something along a surface, often with resistance.

hauled

Suggests pulling something heavy or bulky with considerable effort.

ripped

Implies tearing something away with force, often resulting in damage.

waggled

Implies a forceful moving something from side to side.

FAQs

How can I use "yanked" in a sentence?

"Yanked" is used to describe a sudden, forceful pull. For example, "He "yanked the door open"" or "She "yanked the rope" to start the engine."

What can I say instead of "yanked"?

Alternatives to "yanked" include "jerked", "tugged", or "wrenched", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey. Each suggests a slightly different kind of pulling action.

Is "yanked" too informal for academic writing?

While "yanked" isn't inherently incorrect, it can sound informal. In academic writing, consider using more neutral alternatives like "extracted" or "removed" to maintain a formal tone.

What's the difference between "yanked" and "pulled"?

"Yanked" implies a sudden and forceful pull, whereas "pulled" is a more general term. You might say "He "pulled the wagon"", but "She "yanked him back"" suggests a more urgent or forceful action.