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
Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Certain SSRIs, SNRIs and tricyclic antidepressants have been linked with grinding and clenching the teeth, Schultz says.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 1 June 2025
No discomfort arises from keeping the mouth clenched on a snorkel mouthpiece, and often, this type of mask will not fog as readily.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 20 May 2025
Nat Phillips’ celebrations — mid-air and fists clenched — late in the 1-0 win away to Hull seven days earlier spoke of a mood transformed after much of the campaign had been spent fearing an immediate return to League One.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for clench
Verb
Its stern warnings are scary and uncomfortable--the headaches, indigestion, muscle spasms, body aches, clenched teeth or knots in your chest.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Certain SSRIs, SNRIs and tricyclic antidepressants have been linked with grinding and clenching the teeth, Schultz says.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 1 June 2025
No discomfort arises from keeping the mouth clenched on a snorkel mouthpiece, and often, this type of mask will not fog as readily.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 20 May 2025
Nat Phillips’ celebrations — mid-air and fists clenched — late in the 1-0 win away to Hull seven days earlier spoke of a mood transformed after much of the campaign had been spent fearing an immediate return to League One.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for clench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clench
Noun
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Hard tires last longer—saving pit stops—but have less grip, and result in slower lap times.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
27 June 2025
-
The top three contributors to hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
Panicked passengers can be seen in the footage clutching onto their masks as a flight attendant makes an announcement.—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
1 July 2025
-
Myung-gi turns to look at Gi-hun, who clutches the baby a little closer to his chest.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
Two years after Nvidia Corp. made history by becoming the first chipmaker to achieve a $1 trillion market capitalization, an even more remarkable milestone is within its grasp: becoming the first company to reach $4 trillion.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
27 June 2025
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This process empowers clients to create financial plans with a complete grasp of the concept.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
Still, since the Open era began in 1968, only Justine Henin in 2005 and Francesca Schiavone in 2010 went from holding the trophy in Paris to exiting immediately in London.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 July 2025
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But what if this isn’t a fight to win, but a lesson in learning how to hold your center amidst chaos?—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 July 2025
Verb
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My father seemed to crumple a little, shuddering, grabbing the edge of his desk to steady himself.—
Ottessa Moshfegh,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
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One four-person crew in a 24-foot open-bow MasterCraft grabbed their life jackets, wisely abandoned the boat and swam to shore.—
George Skelton,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clench. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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