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
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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
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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
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2026
My stomach clenched with worry.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 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
As the comedy progresses, its buoyant tone clenches and darkens, and the plot bends and lurches, in ways that, to me, felt unnecessarily punitive toward both Haru and the audience.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2026
My stomach clenched with worry.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clench
Noun
-
The Margrethe bowl is a timeless kitchen essential, known for its secure grip, practical pouring lip, and non-slip base.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
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This is clearly a trap designed to lure out both Butcher and Starlight, the two main wild-card obstacles threatening Homelander’s grip on power.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Dozens of women in hijabs and men in clutching paper cups stood inside Turath Coffee, 9916 College Blvd.—
Jenna Thompson
April 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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One woman clutched her young, smiling child with a look of pure horror on her face.—
Megan Armstrong,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Wildly out of his depth and battling the debilitating symptoms of a late-stage brain tumor, his grasp on reality becomes increasingly precarious.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
6 Apr. 2026
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With the title in their grasp, the Ducks have greased up their fingers, fumbling into a four-game winless slump.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And the Heat is essentially three losses behind the Magic because Orlando holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over Miami after sweeping the regular-season series 5-0.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
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Officials ruled former Wild forward Frederick Gaudreau held Wallstedt's glove hand down with his stick, preventing him from making the save.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Mornings tend to revolve around Regatta Buffet, or, for something lighter and more grab-and-go, Café Madeleine or Bahama Bagel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Apr. 2026
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Feel daring, attention-grabbing and unapologetically you.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clench. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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