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
CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Minnesota took advantage of the Bruins’ struggles on the vault in their final rotation and clinched the program’s first appearance in the NCAA team final, joining top seeds Oklahoma, LSU and Florida to battle for the national title on Saturday.
—Daily News, 17 Apr. 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
Minnesota clinched the program's first NCAA finals appearance in women's gymnastics on Thursday night, joining top three seeds Oklahoma, Florida and LSU to battle for the national title.
—CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Minnesota took advantage of the Bruins’ struggles on the vault in their final rotation and clinched the program’s first appearance in the NCAA team final, joining top seeds Oklahoma, LSU and Florida to battle for the national title on Saturday.
—Daily News, 17 Apr. 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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Seeing a gap and filling the need, when the Boston Marathon was canceled for the first time in its history, PRC decided to host their own marathon.—
Courtney Cole,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
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The college’s leaders intentionally decided not to open a dining hall, so that the students would learn to cook and host others in their home.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The roar of applause from a grieving mother, not to mention a hug and handshake, has a deeper meaning.—
Jermont Terry,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Posted by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the video shows Field Marshal Asim Munir descending from a plane in military uniform and receiving a fraternal hug from him.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Yet Musk may settle for more modest accomplishments in the chip industry, given the extreme costs and complexity.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Still, the paranoia has settled in.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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April 15 is a day of angst for Americans who procrastinate on filing their income taxes, but in baseball, this is a day to celebrate and embrace.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
16 Apr. 2026
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The Breadwinner costars Mandy Moore and Nate Bargatze embrace for their close-up at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on April 13.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The group also may simulate visits during these evaluations, to determine how the dogs and handlers deal with certain situations.—
Mikayla Bunnell,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2026
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Only the first four picks of the draft are determined by the lottery drawing, with the rest of the first round determined by inverse order of record.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In some ways, non-native plants help stabilize soils while native species get a foothold.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
10 Apr. 2026
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As well as his eight goal involvements (two goals, six assists) in 20 games, he was also valued for his ability to hold onto possession and help the side get a foothold in games.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Has also fallen behind Sam Coffey in the pecking order for City, which isn’t ideal with the third England midfield spot still up for grabs.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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Suárez also made a nice sliding grab on a Luke Keaschall ground ball in the seventh when the Twins (11-9) had a pair of runners on, popping quickly to his feet and throwing out a hustling Keaschall out to end the threat.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Because, ultimately, that will help Hezbollah re-establish its political footing and their narrative.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Apr. 2026
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Sellers, a Democrat, found his footing on the network after losing a buzzy race for lieutenant governor of South Carolina in 2014.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clinch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinch. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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