in the clutch
idiom
US
: in a very important or critical situation especially during a sports competition
He is known for his ability to come through in the clutch.
She scored a basket in the clutch.
Examples of in the clutch in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And senior guard Charlie Poehler came through in the clutch, scoring eight of his team-high 20 points in the fourth.
—
Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
Adebayo passed Mourning on the Heat’s all-time scoring list and delivered for the Heat in the clutch, totaling 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 shooting on threes in Tuesday’s fourth quarter.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
Sullivan, for one, wasn’t surprised by Arundel coming through in the clutch for the Mighty Macs.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
The Blazers have been excellent in the clutch.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for in the clutch
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Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
Adebayo passed Mourning on the Heat’s all-time scoring list and delivered for the Heat in the clutch, totaling 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 shooting on threes in Tuesday’s fourth quarter.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
Sullivan, for one, wasn’t surprised by Arundel coming through in the clutch for the Mighty Macs.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
The Blazers have been excellent in the clutch.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for in the clutch
Cite this Entry
“In the clutch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20clutch. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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