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
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
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
Verb
-
Such desperate attempts at grandiosity evoke empty vanity, clutching at physical monuments to prove a greatness that history has not yet conferred.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The actress posed in a field of flowers while clutching her bare chest.—
Sarah Sotoodeh,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At the end of the arm is a gripper that can apply up to 170 newtons (38 pound-force) of gripping force.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Gang violence gripping Port-au-Prince disrupts aid delivery and goods transportation, leaving families in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country with impossible survival choices as the economy contracts for the seventh year.—
Evens Sanon,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Three San Diego police officers who fatally shot a man holding what appeared to be a real gun during a 2022 standoff have been cleared of any criminal liability, the California Department of Justice said Friday, but state investigators recommended a few policy changes for the department.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
-
The truce appeared to be largely holding overnight.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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One person in a Gerrit Cole jersey threw a nasty right hook after grabbing someone from behind.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
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Former Mayor Bill de Blasio similarly drew ridicule when he was caught using a knife and fork to eat pizza instead of grabbing the slice with his hands like any real New Yorker paisano would.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clenching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clenching. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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