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
Megan Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2026
Burleson Centennial a threat from District 8-5A Burleson Centennial (19-8, 12-1 District 8-5A) has had a stellar regular season run, clinching a district title.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 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
This year, Sip & Guzzle in New York City clinched the coveted title of North America’s Best Bar.
—Megan Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2026
Burleson Centennial a threat from District 8-5A Burleson Centennial (19-8, 12-1 District 8-5A) has had a stellar regular season run, clinching a district title.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 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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That April, Valerii decided to sell his Moskvitch in Kyiv.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
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By the time Claudia Martínez added a fourth in the 75th minute, Audi Field was buzzing, the result long decided.—
Asli Pelit,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But there’s also the pan brioche (Italian brioche bread) with anchovies and butter and puntarelle enveloped in a savory anchovy hug; the agnolotti del plin, dumplings shining in a glossy butter and sage sauce, are not to be missed either.—
CNT Editors,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
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Elkins stretched his hands behind them, enveloping his kids like a big hug.—
Lauren Mascarenhas,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Dante Pride, who represented Evans in his lawsuit that the city settled last year, did not immediately respond Thursday to a request for comment on Evans’ behalf.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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Ultimately, Hulk settled all litigation against Gawker Media for $31 million in November 2016, per ABC News.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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House progressives are looking askance at the recent embrace of universal basic income by tech billionaires like Elon Musk and OpenAI’s Sam Altman.—
Nicholas Wu,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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Jan Jones' embrace of Jackson could be the start of a tide of state House Republicans rejecting the lieutenant governor after years of feeling burned by his attempts to impose his will on the lower chamber.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The exact reasons are often left vague, and the successors to be determined, but people are leaving.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
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Forensic investigators will determine whether the shooting was accidental, police said.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Regret may be more acute for young grads due to the stress of securing a career foothold, with research from the Federal Reserve finding that middle-aged workers are generally more positive about the value of their college degrees than younger Americans.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
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But as fuel prices fluctuate amid the war in Iran, the White House has, perhaps inadvertently, provided an opportunity for sustainable power alternatives to gain a greater foothold — at least on film and television productions.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
22 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 26 Apr. 2026.
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