as in clenched
to have or keep in one's hands
he clutched the eggs carefully so he wouldn't drop them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of clutched
An elderly, white-bearded man clutched a walking staff, like an urban Gandalf, disseminating wise vibes.
—
Brian Barth, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
Benedict is still all in with love, convincingly enough that Sophie sneaks back to her room, glowing and grinning, with the drawing of Our Cottage clutched in her hands.
—Christina Grace Tucker, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
Paperbacks are peeking out of purses, clutched in hand by A-listers like Bella Hadid and Kaia Gerber, and even dangling from handbags as charms.
—Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 25 Feb. 2026
Perry began to speed off, accelerating even as Figueroa clutched at the vehicle.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
Kids clutched fresh pulls like lottery tickets.
—Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 23 Feb. 2026
Camacho raised his right arm and clutched a gun, a Mossberg Model 88 12-guage shotgun, federal prosecutors said.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
The boy clutched it to his chest in overwhelmed delight.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
Alessandro clutched his dad tightly.
—Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
Brian Barth, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
Benedict is still all in with love, convincingly enough that Sophie sneaks back to her room, glowing and grinning, with the drawing of Our Cottage clutched in her hands.
—Christina Grace Tucker, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
Paperbacks are peeking out of purses, clutched in hand by A-listers like Bella Hadid and Kaia Gerber, and even dangling from handbags as charms.
—Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 25 Feb. 2026
Perry began to speed off, accelerating even as Figueroa clutched at the vehicle.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
Kids clutched fresh pulls like lottery tickets.
—Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 23 Feb. 2026
Camacho raised his right arm and clutched a gun, a Mossberg Model 88 12-guage shotgun, federal prosecutors said.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
The boy clutched it to his chest in overwhelmed delight.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
Alessandro clutched his dad tightly.
—Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clutched
Verb
-
The Chinese speedskater leaped into the air, fists clenched, joy bursting from every pore.—
Rick Maese,
Washington Post,
19 Feb. 2026
-
My stomach clenched with worry.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The chaos that has gripped the oil market looks set to deepen, with more production getting cut as the war in Iran effectively shuts the Strait of Hormuz, and the US considers widening its range of targets in the country.—
Yongchang Chin,
Fortune,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Worries about the war have sidelined other concerns that had gripped the market in recent weeks around private credit risks and the disruptive — potentially disinflationary — impact of artificial intelligence.—
Michael MacKenzie,
Bloomberg,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The rapper, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested in September 2024.—
Daniel S. Levine,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Tiller also made an impact as a rim protector and grabbed four offensive rebounds.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Ricks grabbed a knife from the kitchen and began to stab Sanchez multiple times, court records showed.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clutched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clutched. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
