as in grip
the act or manner of holding
fearful that his suitcase might be stolen, he never once relaxed his clench on the handle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to grip
to have or keep in one's hands
clenched a tissue in his hands as he told his story of misfortune
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of clench
Ryan Ford, Freep.com, 6 Oct. 2025
David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for clench
Noun
The Cleveland Guardians beat the Detroit Tigers, 5-4, on Thursday night in Game 4 of the ALDS, tying the series and setting up a clench-your-teeth, hold-your-breath series finale.
—Ryan Ford, Freep.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
Wole faced fixedly forward, both fists clenching the steering wheel.
—David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for clench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clench
Noun
-
They’re made with durable aluminum alloy and have cork and foam hand grips to keep you comfortable while climbing.—
Anna Fiorentino,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Oct. 2025
-
But Putin has shown no willingness to release his grip on the power plant.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The video ends with Beer, eyes still filled with tears, clutching a locket in bed.—
Jack Irvin,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
-
In the photo, Manganiello is seen clutching a chihuahua as his fiancée shows off her engagement ring.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Last year, Staged to Sell worked on more than a hundred and thirty properties around the city; aesthetic sense is nothing without a firm grasp of logistics.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Both were about results, and, despite a year of mishaps, a title was now within grasp.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Slot’s side fell behind to Rasmus Kristensen’s strike but held their nerve and took complete control with 14 shots on target compared to just one.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Many of the marble mausoleums on this 14-acre spot are held by Argentina’s elite, some famous, others infamous—think past presidents, Nobel Prize winners, and military commanders.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Casanovas’ use of the brand as a platform for self-expression has clearly grabbed attention among his Gen Z peers.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
20 Oct. 2025
-
So instead of getting out your sad, chipped mixing bowls as your backup serving pieces, grab a three-piece set of these Trudeau porcelain serving bowls.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clench. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share