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
Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Wole faced fixedly forward, both fists clenching the steering wheel.
—David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 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
When the sky darkens, her stomach clenches.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Wole faced fixedly forward, both fists clenching the steering wheel.
—David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clench
Noun
-
The stretchy cuffs help lock in heat, while the palm side has grip-enhancing rubber details.—
Nicol Natale,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
-
For years, 58-year-old Abel Linares watched his health slip away as kidney disease tightened its grip.—
Ronnie Li,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Moore wore a leopard-print Kate Spade dress with a tie neckline for the occasion, along with chunky black Nicholas Kirkwood platforms, Irene Neuwirth jewelry and an Edie Parker clutch.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The crowd of more than 100 people, many clutching drinks from the open bar, roared in approval.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Having no cool aunt of my own and no elder sisters, just teenage babysitters and camp counselors (each with their own unique but tenuous grasp on anatomy and reproductive science), the book felt warm, inviting, and—perhaps most important to my terrified, bleeding, self—safe.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
-
For once, that description doesn’t apply to the Panthers (5-4), but Carolina can’t let this one slip out of its grasp.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
While the Danish pharma giant holds the patents to these GLP-1s for the time being, some are due to expire as early as next year.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
-
In November 2026, 33 seats will be contested, 20 of which are currently held by Republicans and 13 by Democrats.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
However, Cena outsmarted him by grabbing the chair, throwing it next to Dom, and pretending to be down on the mat.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Security camera footage from a nearby apartment complex showed the naked man walking across the street prior to the incident, seemingly talking to himself and grabbing a sign, per NBC 4.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clench. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share