as in decided
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 clinched
Along with Todorov, West Springfield’s Colton Robinson clinched victory in both the 200 meters and 400 meters wheelchair events.
—
Hannah Hughes, Boston Herald, 7 June 2026
Kyle Stowers singled and hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly for the Marlins, who clinched the three-game series and finished 3-3 against their in-state rival this season.
—CBS News, 7 June 2026
But when the Knicks clinched their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, the department said the party was back on.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026
In 2025, soon after closing its merger with Skydance, Paramount clinched a 7-year deal with the UFC as the mixed martial arts circuit was wrapping its deal with ESPN.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 4 June 2026
Stankiewicz, 61, smirked at the fitting metaphor after the Trojans clinched their first NCAA super regional berth in 21 years.
—Jose De Jesus Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
But while no seats were clinched, voters still sent a loud message, said Margaret Virissimo, founder of an anti-City Hall group called San Diego United Communities.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2026
Cretin-Derham Hall clinched a return to the state baseball tournament in Class 4A on Wednesday, but Woodbury made the defending state champion Raiders earn it.
—Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 4 June 2026
The Rockies, who beat San Francisco 8-6 on Friday night on a walk-off homer by Ezequiel Tovar, clinched their first series win since sweeping the Mets from April 24-29 in New York.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
Hannah Hughes, Boston Herald, 7 June 2026
Kyle Stowers singled and hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly for the Marlins, who clinched the three-game series and finished 3-3 against their in-state rival this season.
—CBS News, 7 June 2026
But when the Knicks clinched their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, the department said the party was back on.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026
In 2025, soon after closing its merger with Skydance, Paramount clinched a 7-year deal with the UFC as the mixed martial arts circuit was wrapping its deal with ESPN.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 4 June 2026
Stankiewicz, 61, smirked at the fitting metaphor after the Trojans clinched their first NCAA super regional berth in 21 years.
—Jose De Jesus Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
But while no seats were clinched, voters still sent a loud message, said Margaret Virissimo, founder of an anti-City Hall group called San Diego United Communities.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2026
Cretin-Derham Hall clinched a return to the state baseball tournament in Class 4A on Wednesday, but Woodbury made the defending state champion Raiders earn it.
—Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 4 June 2026
The Rockies, who beat San Francisco 8-6 on Friday night on a walk-off homer by Ezequiel Tovar, clinched their first series win since sweeping the Mets from April 24-29 in New York.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinched
Verb
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In March 2016, when the owners closed the restaurant, Joel decided to turn a setback into an opportunity.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
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The pair decided to study the canyons — which are a six-hour drive from WCU in Gunnison — after reading about the recession of Powell and the canyons coming back to life.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Eiguren’s grandparents were among the thousands of immigrants who settled in Boise starting in the late 1800s, giving rise to one of the largest Basque communities outside Europe.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
The Sikh faith originated in the Punjab region of northwest India in the 15th century, but Sikh people have migrated and settled around the world.—
Akash Pamarthy,
NPR,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Officers determined that the dog belonged to the man and woman involved in the original disturbance and arrested the woman on charges of felony domestic violence and felony assault with a deadly weapon.—
Velvet Wu
June 1,
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
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The duration of such a probation typically depends on whether a defendant is determined to be successfully rehabilitated.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clinched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinched. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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