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
Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 25 Nov. 2025
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
Lindsey Leake, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
The two of them clench in the car, waiting to be let through the border.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clench
Noun
Brazilian democracy has spent the past three years in a near-permanent state of tension – a full-body clench against an ex-president who refused to accept defeat.
—Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 25 Nov. 2025
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
Participants alternately clenched their toes (rock), spread them apart (paper) and crossed the big toe over the others (scissors).
—Lindsey Leake, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
The two of them clench in the car, waiting to be let through the border.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clench
Noun
-
This weekend is an opportunity for Barcelona to even out the series and tighten their grip as a generational dynasty, or for OL Lyonnes, who’ve not lifted a Champions League trophy in four years, to reassert themselves as European legends.—
Tamerra Griffin,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
-
The dual-class share structure ensures that going public will not meaningfully dilute Musk’s grip on the company.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Knives are clutched, teeth are clenched, and a desperate Russian ex-pat yells loud enough for their long-dead ancestors to hear all the way back in the motherland.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
-
Featuring live event faceoffs, an all-new batch of celebrity competitors and surprise guests, each episode delivers high-energy showdowns where skill, creativity, and clutch performance take center stage.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Continuously setting industry standards and re-imagining what cruise travel can be, the company manages to maintain its Dutch roots and history while keeping a firm grasp on modern travel trends.—
Claudia Alarcón,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
No one really has a good grasp of … [its] mid- to long-term impact.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
The Ravens held minicamp in April — the first under Minter — and Jackson was in attendance.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
20 May 2026
-
The arrest was made in coordination with the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD), which holds an arrest warrant for charges related to a 1986 homicide in Virginia Beach, Newington police said in a media release.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Denise ascended the stairs, yelling at Djena all the way up, then grabbed Djena by the collar and began hitting her.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
To make one, grab a clean, thick sock (preferably a larger one) and fill it with uncooked rice, oats, or flaxseed.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clench. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
