clenched; clenching; clenches
1
2
: to hold fast : clutch
clenched the arms of the chair
3
: to set or close tightly
clench one's teeth
clench one's fists
clench
noun
Examples of clench in a Sentence
He clenched his teeth and continued to look straight ahead.
He clenched his fists in anger.
She was angry and spoke quietly through clenched teeth.
His jaw clenched and unclenched as he listened to the speech.
She danced alone, with a rose clenched in her teeth.
He was clenching a cigarette in his teeth.
Recent Examples on the Web
Coley and the audience know this isn’t true, but Sonya’s clenched jaw and steely gaze don’t leave room for questions.
—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
Daily tales of war and violence around the world made one want to clench one’s fists, grit one’s teeth, and to shout out in a paean of outraged hysteria.
—
Zehra Jumabhoy,
Artforum,
25 June 2026
As the ball landed safely on the other side of the left field fence at Nationals Park on Monday, Dylan Crews clenched his fists and let out a scream.
—
Danielle Allentuck,
Washington Post,
16 June 2026
An accompanying photograph shows Glimcher holding the viewer’s gaze, his right hand outstretched on the desk, clenched in a tight fist.
—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for clench
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
Daily tales of war and violence around the world made one want to clench one’s fists, grit one’s teeth, and to shout out in a paean of outraged hysteria.
—
Zehra Jumabhoy,
Artforum,
25 June 2026
As the ball landed safely on the other side of the left field fence at Nationals Park on Monday, Dylan Crews clenched his fists and let out a scream.
—
Danielle Allentuck,
Washington Post,
16 June 2026
An accompanying photograph shows Glimcher holding the viewer’s gaze, his right hand outstretched on the desk, clenched in a tight fist.
—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for clench
Cite this Entry
“Clench.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clench. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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