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
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
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Maton has been wrestling with his curveball grip all season and continues to search for consistency.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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Less than six months before the 2026 midterm elections, however, the concern over Martin's leadership is, at best, an unwanted distraction for a party desperate to break the Republican Party's grip on power in Washington.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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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
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No one really has a good grasp of … [its] mid- to long-term impact.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
17 May 2026
Verb
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At the time of the wedding, several of Collins and Green's guests shared photos of the newlyweds smiling and holding hands while celebrating their nuptials.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
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The Golden Knights carried play for much of the first period, but Dostal stood tall in net to hold the Ducks in it.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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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
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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 20 May. 2026.
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