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
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 25 Feb. 2026
But what really clinches him as a great choice to round out the trio is his genuine enthusiasm and on-camera attitude.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 5 Feb. 2026
Here, glycerin clinches the starring role, preventing moisture evaporation; it’s joined by supporting actor hyaluronic acid, whose specialty is all things fine lines (and their prompt erasure).
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
San Fran clinches playoff ticket with win or a loss by Lions.
—Greg Cote
december 18, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025
Denver clinches the division title with a win and a Chargers’ loss or a tie and a Chargers loss.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 17 Dec. 2025
Virginia clinches a spot in the ACC Championship Game with a win, but its chances at a CFP berth would disappear with a loss.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
The winner of this game clinches a share of the league championship.
—Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
The win clinches the team’s berth in the World Series, but its opponent has not been decided.
—Phil Helsel, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
But Gophers coach Bob Motzko noted his team doesn’t want to be on the ice when any opponent clinches a conference crown.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 25 Feb. 2026
But what really clinches him as a great choice to round out the trio is his genuine enthusiasm and on-camera attitude.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 5 Feb. 2026
Here, glycerin clinches the starring role, preventing moisture evaporation; it’s joined by supporting actor hyaluronic acid, whose specialty is all things fine lines (and their prompt erasure).
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
San Fran clinches playoff ticket with win or a loss by Lions.
—Greg Cote
december 18, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025
Denver clinches the division title with a win and a Chargers’ loss or a tie and a Chargers loss.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 17 Dec. 2025
Virginia clinches a spot in the ACC Championship Game with a win, but its chances at a CFP berth would disappear with a loss.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
The winner of this game clinches a share of the league championship.
—Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
The win clinches the team’s berth in the World Series, but its opponent has not been decided.
—Phil Helsel, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinches
Verb
-
That’s if his county decides to enact a sales tax, the proceeds of which would have to be applied to homeowner property tax credits.—
Meghan O'Brien,
States Newsroom,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Under Arizona rules, the person who claims the prize is the person who signs the ticket, but if the court decides the ticket legally belongs to Circle K, the company could argue that it be awarded the prize.—
Miguel Torres,
AZCentral.com,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But according to Vana, Amazon determines the order of search results using a formula that considers many factors, including the number of reviews and the average rating — suggesting that more reviews and higher ratings help get a seller's products placed higher in search results.—
James Doubek,
NPR,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The company, in consultation with the seller and their agent and after a home inspection, determines a fair selling price.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
And while the first half of this season felt overstuffed with subplots, its second half settles more evenly into all of them, including the woes and romances of both London’s elite and its more lower-class members.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Over time, that greasy film that settles on your wood cabinets can trap dirt and dust, making the buildup hard to remove.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The poll showed the undecided vote stood at 33%, leaving the race up for grabs.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
-
There will be five roster spots up for grabs, with one likely secured by whomever Dallas selects with its lottery pick, but there’s room for Bagley, especially as an emergency center option in case Dallas encounters more injury misfortune.—
Mike Curtis,
Dallas Morning News,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clinches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinches. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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