clench

verb

\ˈklench

clenched; clenching; clenches

Definition of clench

transitive verb

1 : clinch sense 2

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

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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

The gatherings blow across the projection, bouncing against the edges, loosening and clenching. — Karen Wilkin, WSJ, "‘Jennifer Steinkamp: Blind Eye’ Review: Exploring the Digital Landscape," 20 Aug. 2018 The mouth clenched tight around my nipple, light sucking on and sucking out. — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "Keira Knightley Just Criticized Kate Middleton for Hiding the Reality of Childbirth," 6 Oct. 2018 Her idea was to put the egg in and walk around all day with it in, which would lead to inappropriate muscle clenching, and that’s not how pelvic weights are meant to be used. — Eric Johnson, Recode, "The internet’s favorite Goop critic Dr. Jen Gunter says ‘medical conspiracy theories’ are running amok online," 20 Aug. 2018 There's a reason your belly clenches at the sound of bad news. — Jill Provost, Woman's Day, "End Digestive Problems for Good," 21 May 2012 About 20-30 percent of kids grind their teeth or clench their jaws. — Mary Caldwell, ajc, "Is your child's teeth grinding normal?," 30 June 2018 Courtois bounced to his feet, clenched his fist and roared. — Jonathan Wilson, SI.com, "Belgium's Golden Generation Shines Brightest in Ousting Brazil From World Cup," 6 July 2018 One whole page is filled with an oversize, hunched, anxious Porcupine, little paws seeming to flex and clench with existential dread. — New York Times, "Brief Tales for New Readers and Little Listeners From Philip Stead and More," 29 June 2018 So can grinding and clenching your teeth, Dr. Cho says. — Korin Miller, SELF, "5 Reasons Your Teeth Are So Agonizingly Sensitive," 18 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'clench.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.