as in aces in the hole
something (as a fact or argument) that is decisive or overwhelming
the fact that the resort had tennis courts was the clincher in our deciding to stay there
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Recent Examples of clinchers
Daytona will always be big, as will championship clinchers.
—
Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Manager Rob Thomson punctuated the Phillies' postseason clinchers over the years with a call-and-response in the clubhouse, asking Realmuto how many more wins were needed to win the World Series.
—CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
Four games, all of them potential Division Series clinchers … on the same day?
—Jayson Stark, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Manager Rob Thomson punctuated the Phillies' postseason clinchers over the years with a call-and-response in the clubhouse, asking Realmuto how many more wins were needed to win the World Series.
—CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
Four games, all of them potential Division Series clinchers … on the same day?
—Jayson Stark, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinchers
Noun
-
Pickup truck campers and camping toppers have been growing lighter and lighter through smart, compact design, but few approach the featheriness of the Thaircamper.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Cashews and almonds are versatile additions to many dishes, serving as creamy bases, mix-ins for baked goods, salad toppers, or as nutritious snacks.—
Lana Barhum,
Verywell Health,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But regulation losses … those are the crushers.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
14 Dec. 2025
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Beijing's stockpiling Chinese processors of raw soybeans, also known as crushers, pig farmers and feed producers have built up inventories that exceed typical levels, while state reserves have added further cushion.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
17 Nov. 2025
Noun
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But unlike other series cappers, Last Rites didn’t try to be a summation of every demonic threat the duo has ever encountered, instead opting for another familial story by way of 1986’s Smurl haunting in Pennsylvania.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The amount beneficiaries receive varies based on several factors, including the number of people filing.—
Asher Notheis,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
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The agency said its ratings range from A+ to F, based on factors like customer complaints, transparency, and responsiveness and that customer reviews do not impact ratings.—
S.E. Jenkins,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Co-occurring mental health concerns often drive substance use, and social determinants such as housing stability, employment, access to care, and systemic inequities strongly shape outcomes.—
Gwilym Roddick,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2026
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This approach embodies the upstream vision of addressing social determinants of health—creating the conditions for people to thrive physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clinchers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinchers. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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