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
While not everyone experiences such dramatic effects, experts say stress, clenching and even past trauma can contribute to TMJ issues.
—
Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 22 May 2026
The Beloved, his first film in Competition at Cannes, is an incredible achievement that builds on all those films and leaves them standing in the dust, hitting all the same tense throat-clenching beats but somehow transcending genre altogether.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 May 2026
Tuanzebe—born in Bunia, raised in Rochdale—is sprinting toward the corner flag, fists clenched at his waist, triumphant.
—Franklin Leonard, Vanity Fair, 14 May 2026
Knives are clutched, teeth are clenched, and a desperate Russian ex-pat yells loud enough for their long-dead ancestors to hear all the way back in the motherland.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clench
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 22 May 2026
The Beloved, his first film in Competition at Cannes, is an incredible achievement that builds on all those films and leaves them standing in the dust, hitting all the same tense throat-clenching beats but somehow transcending genre altogether.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 May 2026
Tuanzebe—born in Bunia, raised in Rochdale—is sprinting toward the corner flag, fists clenched at his waist, triumphant.
—Franklin Leonard, Vanity Fair, 14 May 2026
Knives are clutched, teeth are clenched, and a desperate Russian ex-pat yells loud enough for their long-dead ancestors to hear all the way back in the motherland.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 13 May 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 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
