as in deciding
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 clinching
One of several impressive pieces the Raptors have in their attack, the dynamic junior midfielder has been instrumental in LASA clinching a playoff berth.
—
Colby Gordon, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
With the first box checked after clinching their second consecutive Big Ten title, the work toward meeting each of her standards is just beginning.
—Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Wi-Hi beat local rival Parkside High School 65-63 in overtime, earning a season sweep and clinching the Bayside South title.
—Josh Davis, Baltimore Sun, 21 Feb. 2026
The league expects to wrap up the raise in 90 days, clinching a first close by the end of March and a second close at the end of April.
—Luisa Beltran, Sportico.com, 18 Feb. 2026
The United States finished second in one of three quarterfinal races in the short track speed skating mixed team relay, clinching a semifinal spot.
—Sean Nevin, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
But Wilson attempted a slant pass to Ricardo Lockett, and Patriots rookie Malcom Butler jumped in front of it for the pick, clinching the game for New England.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Both parties have similar doubts about clinching any bipartisan accord on immigration enforcement.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 5 Feb. 2026
After clinching a trip to the 2023 quarterfinals over rival Team Dominican Republic, Díaz, the New York Mets’ closer at the time, tore his right patellar tendon.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Colby Gordon, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
With the first box checked after clinching their second consecutive Big Ten title, the work toward meeting each of her standards is just beginning.
—Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Wi-Hi beat local rival Parkside High School 65-63 in overtime, earning a season sweep and clinching the Bayside South title.
—Josh Davis, Baltimore Sun, 21 Feb. 2026
The league expects to wrap up the raise in 90 days, clinching a first close by the end of March and a second close at the end of April.
—Luisa Beltran, Sportico.com, 18 Feb. 2026
The United States finished second in one of three quarterfinal races in the short track speed skating mixed team relay, clinching a semifinal spot.
—Sean Nevin, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
But Wilson attempted a slant pass to Ricardo Lockett, and Patriots rookie Malcom Butler jumped in front of it for the pick, clinching the game for New England.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Both parties have similar doubts about clinching any bipartisan accord on immigration enforcement.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 5 Feb. 2026
After clinching a trip to the 2023 quarterfinals over rival Team Dominican Republic, Díaz, the New York Mets’ closer at the time, tore his right patellar tendon.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinching
Verb
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Sarr, in contrast, was a 6-foot-8 sparkplug during Duke’s game-deciding run, punctuated by a full-court steal-and-slam that caused Blue Devil fans to erupt and forced Davis to call a timeout.—
Brendan Marks,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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Insurers, not doctors, are increasingly deciding when and how patients receive cancer treatment.—
Alex Mejia Garcia,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Now the focus has shifted to determining the criminal responsibility of other high-ranking former officials, including several former health ministers.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Similarly, there are tools that can look over a biopsy and assist a pathologist in determining how aggressive of a cancer a patient has.—
Emily Brindley,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Walker connected from beyond the arc to give Colorado its largest lead at 31-14 with six minutes left in the second period before settling for a 37-25 advantage at halftime.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Mar. 2026
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Hopes for any stability and settling out, however, have been quickly shaken.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clinching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinching. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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