clench

verb

clenched; clenching; clenches

transitive verb

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
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.
In a similar way, a man who is defiant stiffens his neck, squares his shoulders, lowers his brows, and clenches his fists with his knuckles forward. Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025 Zonal reinforcements fend off unfriendly rocks, stumps and features, and a Vibram Megagrip sole clenches all kinds of slippery, unbalanced raw ground. New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2025 Lalay, a 15-foot crocodile, was not amused and spent half an hour thrashing around with the man’s leg clenched in her teeth, until the park owner clocked her over the head with a block of concrete to get her to let go. Kassondra Cloos, Outside, 10 Sep. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for clench

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English -clencan; akin to Old English clingan to cling

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of clench was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clench.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clench. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

clench

verb
1
: to hold fast : clutch
2
: to set or close tightly
clench one's teeth
clench one's fist

More from Merriam-Webster on clench

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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