clinched

verb

past tense of clinch
as in decided
to make final, definite, or beyond dispute the rain clinched the matter: we would have the party indoors

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 clinched With three of the four spots in the league championship series already clinched, Thursday night’s White Sox-Guardians matchup was the lone game on MLB’s postseason schedule. — Chantz Martin Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026 In addition, Zaslav has sold a total of nearly $200 million worth of WBD stock since his company clinched the deal with Paramount in February. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026 Quarterback Tayven Jackson tossed two touchdown passes to tight end Dylan Wade, while Noe Ruelas clinched the win with a 34-yard field goal with just 57 seconds remaining. — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026 Ellison clinched the deal by sweetening the offer price and bringing his father, Larry Ellison, in to personally guarantee funding. — Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026 The White Sox haven't clinched a playoff series at home since the 1906 World Series victory over the Cubs. — Victor Jacobo, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 The Rays clinched the 2026 American League East with a victory over the New York Yankees in the Bronx, the most famous franchise in the sport relegated to a wild card berth. — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026 The announcement was released just a day after the Dream clinched their first semifinal spot since 2018. — Micahya Costen, AJC.com, 6 Oct. 2026 As Marchand first reported last month, Buck has clinched a sweet renewal deal with ESPN, inking a six-year extension that’s worth nearly $110 million. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinched
  1. decided
  2. settled
  3. determined
Verb
  • On second thought, that seems like an expensive experiment to undertake with uncertain results, but the folks at Brown-Forman decided to try something similar.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2026
  • At Trâmette, Quang decided to test out the gratuity payment option — but only for guests with whom the staff may have struck a particularly good rapport.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of decided
Verb
  • To double down further, Sony dropped the teaser — intentionally — on the same day Meta settled its child-harm case filed by numerous attorneys general.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The government forces settled into a more defensive posture after the defeat in the southwest.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of settled
Verb
  • Deputies arrived and determined Suastegui-Velazquez was a victim of a homicide.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • But after a while, the lack of grounding gets tiring, as various supernatural shenanigans appear to be determined more by plot convenience than anything else.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of determined

Browse Nearby Words

clinch
clinched
clincher
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Cite this Entry

“Clinched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinched. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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