as in clutched
to have or keep in one's hands
clenched a tissue in his hands as he told his story of misfortune
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Recent Examples of clenched
Lalay, a 15-foot crocodile, was not amused and spent half an hour thrashing around with the man’s leg clenched in her teeth, until the park owner clocked her over the head with a block of concrete to get her to let go.
—
Kassondra Cloos, Outside, 10 Sep. 2025
And then there’s Eros, also known as Cupid, who flies away with his little buttocks clenched at the least hint of a rational process.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
Yang Guoliang said, his hands clenched in fists.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
With his jaw clenched and sights set on being the next James Bond, Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Major Will Tranter, a bomb disposal pro who’s both an ace sniper and a bit of a loose cannon, breaking protocol in his obsessive attempt to deactivate the vintage ordnance with minimal casualties.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
With every stride, the leader breathes into the whistle clenched between his lips, producing a noise like the courting sigh of some prairie bird.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
The result was a tension-release rally in a market that wasn’t all that clenched-up to begin with.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2025
Kassondra Cloos, Outside, 10 Sep. 2025
And then there’s Eros, also known as Cupid, who flies away with his little buttocks clenched at the least hint of a rational process.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
Yang Guoliang said, his hands clenched in fists.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
With his jaw clenched and sights set on being the next James Bond, Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Major Will Tranter, a bomb disposal pro who’s both an ace sniper and a bit of a loose cannon, breaking protocol in his obsessive attempt to deactivate the vintage ordnance with minimal casualties.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
With every stride, the leader breathes into the whistle clenched between his lips, producing a noise like the courting sigh of some prairie bird.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
The result was a tension-release rally in a market that wasn’t all that clenched-up to begin with.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clenched
Verb
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Women clutched children in their arms, weeping uncontrollably.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
4 Oct. 2025
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As Brown crashed hard onto the orange turf of the end zone, his helmet popped off, spinning several yards while Brown continued rolling with the ball clutched in his arms.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Lecornu’s resignation underscores the paralysis that has gripped France since those inconclusive 2024 elections left no party with an outright majority.—
Saskya Vandoorne,
CNN Money,
6 Oct. 2025
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But local officials have suggested that many of his claims and social media posts appear to rely on images from 2020, when demonstrations and unrest gripped the city following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The rapper, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested in September 2024.—
Daniel S. Levine,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clenched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clenched. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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