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
Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025
My muscles, head, neck and back were clenched.
—William D. Brown, Outdoor Life, 13 Nov. 2025
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
Even if Dad does clench his jaw and Mom stares into space, pretending not to care.
—Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025
My muscles, head, neck and back were clenched.
—William D. Brown, Outdoor Life, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clench
Noun
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Nigeria is in the grip of a complex security crisis, with an insurgency by Islamic militants in the northeast alongside a surge in kidnappings for ransom by gunmen across the northwest and north-central regions over recent months.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
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While there are still detectable traces of a classic 911’s light-front-end feeling, Theon’s builds turn into corners more securely and deliver considerably more lateral grip.—
Basem Wasef,
Robb Report,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The sight of 6-foot-10 center Gafford clutching that same right ankle has occurred more times than even Gafford can count in the Mavericks’ first 50 games this season.—
Brad Townsend,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Feb. 2026
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The cushioned quilt that covers it provides insulation that is both comfy and clutch for keeping our booties warm on a chilly night.—
The Editors,
Outside,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Neither girl has an amazing grasp on the words, but Kenya is about 300 times more entertaining.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
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To build their robot hand, the engineers began by creating a digital library of human hand grasp postures.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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According to her mother, the group held onto her as long as possible, which gave rescuers time to respond.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
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Nancy Guthrie’s church community has also been holding her and her family in prayer.—
Amanda Musa,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The bottom-line mandate for the Bruins on Monday night was to grab two points against the worst team in the Eastern Conference.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
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On January 13, in a win over the Chicago Bulls, Davison played 24 minutes, scoring 9 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and dishing out 4 assists.—
Rahat Huq,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clench. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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