Definition of clench
clench
nounIndulge Your Inner Word Nerd
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 of clench from the Web
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During his first in-person meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump's typically aggressive greeting became a duel of one-upmanship as the two men clenched their jaws and tightened their faces during an intense, white-knuckled handshake.
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During his first in-person meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump’s typically aggressive greeting became a duel of one-upmanship as the two men clenched their jaws and tightened their faces during an intense, white-knuckled handshake.
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After some friendly chatter, the two gripped each other’s hands so tightly before the cameras that their jaws seemed to clench.
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At every turn, somebody is going to be yelling, screaming, clenching the controller in frustration or delight.
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.
Origin and Etymology of clench
Middle English, from Old English -clencan; akin to Old English clingan to cling
First Known Use: 13th century
CLENCH Defined for English Language Learners
clench
playDefinition of clench for English Language Learners
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: to set (something) in a tightly closed position
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: to hold (something) tightly
CLENCH Defined for Kids
Learn More about clench
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See words that rhyme with clench Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for clench Spanish Central: Translation of clench Nglish: Translation of clench for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of clench for Arabic speakers
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