CLUTCHED Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

clutched

verb

past tense of clutch

as in clenched

to have or keep in one's hands he clutched the eggs carefully so he wouldn't drop them

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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 While in front of a judge, Siders, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, kept shielding her stomach and clutched her belly, The Daily Mail reported. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2026 Groups of screaming preschoolers pass by us in the park, fists clutched tight onto their walking ropes, chubby hands waving hello or pointing to squirrels scampering in their path. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026 Proportion play is also part of the equation, as Gap experiments with Mini sizes meant to be clutched in the palm of your hand or slung over your torso. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026 For decades, sweaty hands clutched the ridged yellow wood on test day. — ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026 Dian Weys’ drama Vultures clutched top honors at HollyShorts Sunday evening, winning the prestigious festival’s Grand Jury Prize for Best Short Film. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 23 Aug. 2026 Throughout his wanderings, the uxorious Odysseus clings to a little doll figure, intended to represent his wife (like the spinning top clutched by Leonardo DiCaprio in 'Inception'); the real woman is barely more interesting. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 28 July 2026 Kirk’s widow, Erika, clutched a tissue and watched intently as a person said to be Robinson ran across the roof. — Hannah Schoenbaum, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026 Allowance clutched in hot hands, the neighborhood kids come together to choose among ice pops, Italian ice, and all kinds of colorful ice cream treats. — Holly Lebowitz Rossi, Parents, 2 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clutched

Verb

As the recording played, with Davis recounting seeing the ambulance that was carrying the rapper, Shakur’s sister clenched her left hand against her mouth.

— Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Clad in the world champion’s rainbows, Evenepoel clenched both his fists, beamed a toothy grin, and hugged his soigneur.

— Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Definition of clenched

Verb

Paris — Students fought running battles with police and several schools were ablaze Friday as a new day of violence gripped France with no end in sight to protests that have rocked the country.

— Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Secondly, as markets remain gripped by concerns around long-term public debt and fiscal sustainability globally, Gower acknowledged that higher bond yields remain a challenge for non-yielding assets like gold.

— Hugh Leask, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of gripped

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

Definition of held

Verb

Ross also grabbed the woman by her ponytail and slammed her against the wall, causing injuries to her face and lip, according to the report.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Israel, Iranian analysts have noted, grabbed territory in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, and Syria after October 7 and argued that doing so was essential for its security.

— Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of grabbed

Browse Nearby Words

clutch bags

clutched

clutches

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“Clutched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clutched. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of clutched

verb

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