as in grips
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 clutches
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 clenches
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
As Solène leaves, Rainbeau clenches her fists, talking herself out of hitting Solène and remembering the way disputes got resolved in her family.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clenches
Noun
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Indeed, both consumers and the auto industry need to come to grips with a stark reality, said Smoke.—
Ed Garsten,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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At least seven National Weather Service (NWS) offices broke low temperature records Monday morning as chilly weather grips much of the United States.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The older woman clutches her top towel closer to her.—
Weike Wang,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The Hurricanes needed that to happen after the game nearly slipped out of their grasps.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
1 Sep. 2025
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Halakhic rulings on divorce, medical emergencies, or conversion involve nuance that no present-day model grasps.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Unrivaled, the women’s 3-on-3 basketball league founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, holds less than 900 fans at the league’s Wayfair Arena home near Miami.—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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Zhmo Canvas Tote Bag Finding a work bag that checks every box—fits your laptop, holds your lunch and water bottle, keeps things organized, and still looks stylish—is no small feat.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Its small gold details include a metal pinmount logo, clasps, and a magnetic snap closure inside to keep your items secure.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But the feeling when a film grabs hold remains the same—by a story, a character, a voice—that, never goes out of season.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
10 Sep. 2025
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The lilting Calle Malaga, Morocco’s official entry for the International Feature Film Oscar, is a joy largely because of its veteran star who envelops the screen and grabs a role of a career.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clenches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clenches. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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