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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Recent Examples of clutched
Flowers surrounded the baby girl's tiny casket inside the Lawrence Woodward Funeral Home in Crown Heights, as family members clutched each other and said their final goodbyes.
—
Naveen Dhaliwal, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Elliot Cadeau came rushing over to his mom after the game, a fistful of maize-and-blue confetti clutched tight in his hand.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
One woman clutched her young, smiling child with a look of pure horror on her face.
—Megan Armstrong, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Others brought flowers, clutched to their chests.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
Along Ferrari Ranch Road in Lincoln, Karl and Jan Hess clutched to protest signs.
—Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Last year, the Checkers almost clutched the Calder Cup trophy for the second time in franchise history under the American Hockey League banner.
—Charlotte Observer, 16 Mar. 2026
Aunt Fely clutched her chest when my mother told her of Nora’s death.
—Han Ong, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026
When Contributing Editor Sheri Castle revealed that the secret to crystal clear sweet tea was a teaspoon of baking soda, some Southern Living readers clutched their pearls in disbelief.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
Naveen Dhaliwal, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Elliot Cadeau came rushing over to his mom after the game, a fistful of maize-and-blue confetti clutched tight in his hand.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
One woman clutched her young, smiling child with a look of pure horror on her face.
—Megan Armstrong, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Others brought flowers, clutched to their chests.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
Along Ferrari Ranch Road in Lincoln, Karl and Jan Hess clutched to protest signs.
—Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Last year, the Checkers almost clutched the Calder Cup trophy for the second time in franchise history under the American Hockey League banner.
—Charlotte Observer, 16 Mar. 2026
Aunt Fely clutched her chest when my mother told her of Nora’s death.
—Han Ong, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026
When Contributing Editor Sheri Castle revealed that the secret to crystal clear sweet tea was a teaspoon of baking soda, some Southern Living readers clutched their pearls in disbelief.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clutched
Verb
-
May watched, jaw clenched, arms crossed, eyes glassy.—
Justin Williams,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Among many Niger Deltans, there’s a mixture of ignorance, nonchalance, and clenched resignation around the industry’s environmental dangers, which take a back seat as folks get on with the business of everyday survival.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While his parents were able to keep their reactions close to the vest, Prince George was clearly gripped by what was happening on the court during Wimbledon 2022.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
-
The male wolf, named Neukgu, burrowed out of his enclosure at the O-World zoo in Daejeon on April 8, prompting a search that gripped the nation and raised fears about his safety.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 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
-
Stephens and her daughter had gone to bed when Knight grabbed knives from the kitchen, walked into their bedroom and attacked the woman as her daughter lay next to her.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The witness said a woman believed to be a store employee grabbed at a backpack carried by one of the men, prompting that man to throw a punch at her.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clutched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clutched. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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