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
And then there’s Eros, also known as Cupid, who flies away with his little buttocks clenched at the least hint of a rational process.
—
James Parker, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
Yang Guoliang said, his hands clenched in fists.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
With his jaw clenched and sights set on being the next James Bond, Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Major Will Tranter, a bomb disposal pro who’s both an ace sniper and a bit of a loose cannon, breaking protocol in his obsessive attempt to deactivate the vintage ordnance with minimal casualties.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
Learn Your Body’s Stress Signals The body speaks before the mind catches up: tight chest, shallow breath, clenched jaw.
—Ashley B. Stewart, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clench
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James Parker, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
Yang Guoliang said, his hands clenched in fists.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
With his jaw clenched and sights set on being the next James Bond, Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Major Will Tranter, a bomb disposal pro who’s both an ace sniper and a bit of a loose cannon, breaking protocol in his obsessive attempt to deactivate the vintage ordnance with minimal casualties.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
Learn Your Body’s Stress Signals The body speaks before the mind catches up: tight chest, shallow breath, clenched jaw.
—Ashley B. Stewart, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clench
Cite this Entry
“Clench.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clench. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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