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
The blue-chip index has clinched 19 record highs this year; seven of them came in June.
—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
1 July 2026
The Nasdaq , which gained almost 13% year to date, clinched 20 records.
—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
1 July 2026
Another boisterous ovation came after Williams clinched a tiebreaker to win the second set.
—
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2026
And interestingly, every goal that clinched a trophy at one of the four key soccer tournaments came in a control or heritage boot.
—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
30 June 2026
The Germans clinched their group with a game to spare and lost 2-1 to Ecuador in the last group game with nothing to play for.
—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
Important wins With Sunday’s win, the Valkyries (13-7) clinched the season series against the Liberty.
—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
29 June 2026
Ghana had already clinched a spot in the knockout stage for the first time since 2010.
—
Ryan Hughes,
CBS News,
28 June 2026
Senegal hasn't quite clinched a spot in the knockout round just yet.
—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
27 June 2026
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
1 July 2026
The Nasdaq , which gained almost 13% year to date, clinched 20 records.
—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
1 July 2026
Another boisterous ovation came after Williams clinched a tiebreaker to win the second set.
—
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2026
And interestingly, every goal that clinched a trophy at one of the four key soccer tournaments came in a control or heritage boot.
—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
30 June 2026
The Germans clinched their group with a game to spare and lost 2-1 to Ecuador in the last group game with nothing to play for.
—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
Important wins With Sunday’s win, the Valkyries (13-7) clinched the season series against the Liberty.
—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
29 June 2026
Ghana had already clinched a spot in the knockout stage for the first time since 2010.
—
Ryan Hughes,
CBS News,
28 June 2026
Senegal hasn't quite clinched a spot in the knockout round just yet.
—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
27 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinched
Verb
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With his children now grown, Love and his wife decided to sell the home, according to the real estate agency.
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The middle school team was seeking a coach, and Cassie decided to ask their mom to fill the role.
Verb
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The Chatrie case involves the hunt for a suspect in an armed bank robbery in busy Midlothian, Virginia, in May 2019, and how police settled on a man named Okello Chatrie as the perpetrator.
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The Warriors Golden State has been prioritizing James and would give him an opportunity to play with his friends, Steph Curry and Draymond Green, and remain close to his family, which is settled in Southern California.
Verb
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The Argentina fans, determined to lift their team’s spirit and will their heroes to victory, belted out song after song.
-
Whitworth died at age 62, just one week after Love graduated from high school, leaving behind a family determined to carry his love and example forward.
Cite this Entry
“Clinched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinched. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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