as in clutching
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 clenching
Wole faced fixedly forward, both fists clenching the steering wheel.
—
David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clenching
Verb
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Flagg went down clutching his left knee.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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After the injury, Jokic could be seen on the floor clutching his knee.—
Jesse Sarles,
CBS News,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The simple and elegant dress was made to have a fluid silhouette that skimmed her body rather than tightly gripping it, letting the neckline do most of the talking.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
8 Jan. 2026
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In one of the larger fraud cases gripping the Land of 10,000 Lakes, the Feeding Our Future scheme cost taxpayers nearly $250 million, after the program's director approved nonexistent meal services going to poor people.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Jeff Bezos holding the device high.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
10 Nov. 2025
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This loss had to be especially tough for the Jayhawks, considering a controversial holding call on KU changed the momentum of the game.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The 5-11 200-pound standout has accumulated mind-boggling stats through nine games -- 1,098 rushing yards and 17 TDs while grabbing a team-leading 42 passes for 974 yards and 18 scores.—
Mike Waters,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Nov. 2025
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Nikola Jokic put up 26 points on 12 of 15 shooting, while also dishing out nine assists and grabbing nine rebounds.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clenching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clenching. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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