clenching

verb

present participle of clench
as in clutching
to have or keep in one's hands clenched a tissue in his hands as he told his story of misfortune

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of clenching Janet held the phone away from her ear, clenching her teeth against Maggie’s booming voice. — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026 His workouts, jaw-clenching pull-ups and all, regularly appear on social media. — Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026 While not everyone experiences such dramatic effects, experts say stress, clenching and even past trauma can contribute to TMJ issues. — Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 22 May 2026 The Beloved, his first film in Competition at Cannes, is an incredible achievement that builds on all those films and leaves them standing in the dust, hitting all the same tense throat-clenching beats but somehow transcending genre altogether. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 May 2026 In the premiere, Rue and Faye run drugs across the border, clenching their butts to hold bags of fentanyl in their digestive tract for as long as possible. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026 Protect against teeth grinding, clenching and enamel damage with custom dental solutions from ClearClub. — Tory Johnson, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026 Melvin Council stood amid a crowd of his Kansas teammates, clenching a black belt in his fist. — Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 25 Jan. 2026 Wole faced fixedly forward, both fists clenching the steering wheel. — David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clenching
  1. clutching
  2. gripping
  3. holding
  4. grabbing
Verb
  • And undrafted guard Jaeden Roberts was carted off the field after going down and clutching his left leg during Saturday’s team drills.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The two figures, dressed in Delft blue and white costumes and each clutching a tulip, leaned toward one another for a kiss, in the style of pottery figurines that are a staple of tourist souvenir stores throughout the Netherlands.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of clutching
Verb
  • According to researchers, because the gripping force is spread across a large contact area rather than concentrated at rigid fingertips, fragile objects are less likely to be damaged.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 29 July 2026
  • From finding the right gripping primer to applying a blurring foundation and cream eye shadow, read on for tips on how to create a natural-looking, but still long-lasting makeup look on older skin.
    — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 27 July 2026
Definition of gripping
Verb
  • In the video circulating on social media, a young woman holding a child is shoved in the face by an officer.
    — Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Pinching and holding both buds at the same time activates a new Audio Snapshot mode that records phone call audio or incoming sound and syncs it to the Nothing X app.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of holding
Verb
  • The popular set tends to sell quickly, so consider grabbing one while fall-favorite shades like dusty olive, terracotta, and mauve are still in stock.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Sophie Cunningham is grabbing the attention of women's advocacy groups.
    — Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of grabbing

Browse Nearby Words

clenches
clenching
clepe
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Cite this Entry

“Clenching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clenching. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on clenching

Nglish: Translation of clenching for Spanish Speakers

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