as in to decide
to make final, definite, or beyond dispute
the rain clinched the matter: we would have the party indoors
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Recent Examples of clinch
John Towfighi, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
Coach Liza Kelly’s Pioneers, which clinched their sixth straight Big East Tournament title with a win over Georgetown last weekend, are making their eighth straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 7 May 2026
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
The Los Angeles Dodgers watched the Philadelphia Phillies clinch the National League East title on their home diamond after losing Monday's matchup in a back-and-forth duel.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clinch
Verb
Stock indexes in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan have clinched fresh records in recent trading sessions, bouncing back after tumbling in March.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
Coach Liza Kelly’s Pioneers, which clinched their sixth straight Big East Tournament title with a win over Georgetown last weekend, are making their eighth straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 7 May 2026
Noun
The Padres will at some point clinch a playoff berth, perhaps as soon as tomorrow.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
The Los Angeles Dodgers watched the Philadelphia Phillies clinch the National League East title on their home diamond after losing Monday's matchup in a back-and-forth duel.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clinch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinch
Verb
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The council voted unanimously Thursday to shift away from deciding how many bus stops the new law will affect, leaving that decision up to the county’s regional planning agency — the San Diego Association of Governments — to make in coming weeks.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
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So there is nothing to be decided at this time.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Noun
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Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman — who played two of the characters in Independence Day — were seen sharing a hug and a laugh at the Dior 2027 Cruise Collection Show held at LACMA on May 13, 2026, in Los Angeles.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
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As the family is photographed, several Aces members come in and pause for a brief hug and coo before ducking quickly out of frame.—
Jade Chang,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Check the facts, ask one clarifying question, and let real information settle your nervous system.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 May 2026
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In a social media era rife with mouthwatering food content, kids will no longer settle for a drab school meal.—
Joe Hernandez,
NPR,
14 May 2026
Noun
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To take plants seriously as living, breathing, conscious, and communicative beings, the movie suggests, requires a measure of time, an embrace of solitude, and a retreat from the hectic anxieties of the modern world.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
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My mother and Barron had a distinct bond, beginning with her gentle embrace.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Verb
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The process to adopt a child from foster care includes training, interviews, and home visits to determine if adoption is right for you.—
MARE Staff,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
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Investigators determined that Skuce hired Logan Delp to kill Sheppard in order to prevent him from gaining custody or further visitation with his child.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
Noun
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The local voting also provides an opening for smaller parties, independents and outsider candidates to gain political footholds that would be far harder to achieve in national parliamentary races.—
Inaya Folarin Iman,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
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Any individual who lied during the naturalization process to gain a foothold in this country will be met with the full weight of the Department of Justice.—
Luke Barr,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
Noun
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Key, the brother of Broncos safety Devon Key, fought off good coverage from UDFA cornerback Brent Austin to make a fantastic back-shoulder grab down the left sideline in a later 11-on-11 period.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
10 May 2026
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The show will feature five matches with two titles up for grabs – the World Heavyweight Championship and the United States Championship.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
Noun
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Despite not speaking French, nor having an agent, Brewster found his footing.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
11 May 2026
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The Toronto Blue Jays, coming off a World Series loss to the Dodgers, haven't found their footing this year.—
David Troy OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clinch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinch. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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