as in decides
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 clinches
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
19 June 2026
The venue, home to the NBA's New York Knicks, could also be the site of an impromptu championship celebration if the team clinches the NBA Finals.
—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
Whether the team clinches the title or not, this piece of merch has cemented its place in the city's style canon for 2026.
—
Tanya Akim,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Or, no, that is Jeremy Strong, because Strong is simply too recognizable to physically disappear into the role of Zuckerberg, but the voice clinches it.
—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
10 June 2026
Today’s top stories Nithya Raman clinches second Karen Bass has already secured a spot in the November election.
—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
San Jose landing a Professional Women’s Hockey League franchise clinches an upgrade for the Bay Area after a pair of high-profile pro sports departures from the region.
—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
Ngannou exchanged strikes and clinches with Lins before finishing the Brazilian with a sweeping left hand to the head in the final minute of the first round.
—
ABC News,
16 May 2026
Heat clinches winning record In moving to 42-39, Miami won for only the fourth time in its past 14 games and assured itself of a winning record for the 19th time in 26 seasons this century.
—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
If its price retreats from these incredible heights by before SpaceX clinches the deal, that number will rise.
—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
19 June 2026
The venue, home to the NBA's New York Knicks, could also be the site of an impromptu championship celebration if the team clinches the NBA Finals.
—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
Whether the team clinches the title or not, this piece of merch has cemented its place in the city's style canon for 2026.
—
Tanya Akim,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Or, no, that is Jeremy Strong, because Strong is simply too recognizable to physically disappear into the role of Zuckerberg, but the voice clinches it.
—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
10 June 2026
Today’s top stories Nithya Raman clinches second Karen Bass has already secured a spot in the November election.
—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
San Jose landing a Professional Women’s Hockey League franchise clinches an upgrade for the Bay Area after a pair of high-profile pro sports departures from the region.
—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
Ngannou exchanged strikes and clinches with Lins before finishing the Brazilian with a sweeping left hand to the head in the final minute of the first round.
—
ABC News,
16 May 2026
Heat clinches winning record In moving to 42-39, Miami won for only the fourth time in its past 14 games and assured itself of a winning record for the 19th time in 26 seasons this century.
—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinches
Verb
-
Someone decides what counts as cultivation and what counts as nuisance, what gets watered and what gets pulled, what belongs in the planned bed and what must be removed before visitors arrive.
-
Complaints against Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank go to the Israeli military's own prosecution service — the Military Advocate General — which decides whether to open an investigation, and whether any soldier should be charged.
Noun
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So that leaves just one spot that’s really up for grabs—meaning that inevitably, at least one show that was nominated for its previous season is going to be snubbed this time around.
-
Multiple seats in the two counties are up for grabs, and could go either Democratic or Republican.
Verb
-
This is where the fine print that determines your actual outcome gets written.
-
Tarrant County Medical Examiner and Death Certificate Records The Tarrant County Medical Examiner handles identification of the deceased and determines the official cause and manner of death.
Verb
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Which frontier model wins, which lab pulls ahead, which assistant the market finally settles on, none of it is easy to predict.
-
Before My Morning Jacket settles into San Francisco for an October residency, frontman Jim James is turning inward.
Cite this Entry
“Clinches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinches. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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