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
Every minute, every second, has to be spent with one’s device clutched in one’s hand.
—
Big Think, 4 Sep. 2025
Children as young as pre-K ran for cover, dove beneath pews or clutched their classmates as teachers shielded them from the barrage, acting instinctively to protect them.
—Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2025
Bleary-eyed bankers, jaded journalists, and start-up founders, all one pivot away from a meltdown, clutched paper cups like life rafts.
—Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
The story of an aging politician dealing with his own mortality — and deciding the outcome of two clemency cases in his final days in office — brought the Venice crowd to their feet as Sorrentino clutched his chest and waved to his fans inside the Sala Grande Theatre.
—Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 27 Aug. 2025
Shabir took photos as the 7 and 8-year-olds smiled and clutched their tiny crochet doubles.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Seeing that marmot offshoot with his twitchy little nose and beady eyes, clutched by an obscure local bureaucrat, conjures hope for the year to come.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
The creatures are usually found hanging from phones or handbags—tiny demons haunting our accessories—or clutched as a kind of pet.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2025
At least one Dolphins player sustained an injury during the game -- cornerback Ethan Bonner, who clutched at his left leg following a first half play.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2025
Big Think, 4 Sep. 2025
Children as young as pre-K ran for cover, dove beneath pews or clutched their classmates as teachers shielded them from the barrage, acting instinctively to protect them.
—Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2025
Bleary-eyed bankers, jaded journalists, and start-up founders, all one pivot away from a meltdown, clutched paper cups like life rafts.
—Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
The story of an aging politician dealing with his own mortality — and deciding the outcome of two clemency cases in his final days in office — brought the Venice crowd to their feet as Sorrentino clutched his chest and waved to his fans inside the Sala Grande Theatre.
—Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 27 Aug. 2025
Shabir took photos as the 7 and 8-year-olds smiled and clutched their tiny crochet doubles.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Seeing that marmot offshoot with his twitchy little nose and beady eyes, clutched by an obscure local bureaucrat, conjures hope for the year to come.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
The creatures are usually found hanging from phones or handbags—tiny demons haunting our accessories—or clutched as a kind of pet.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2025
At least one Dolphins player sustained an injury during the game -- cornerback Ethan Bonner, who clutched at his left leg following a first half play.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clutched
Verb
-
With every stride, the leader breathes into the whistle clenched between his lips, producing a noise like the courting sigh of some prairie bird.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Aug. 2025
-
The result was a tension-release rally in a market that wasn’t all that clenched-up to begin with.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The extraordinary media interest in the case, which gripped Australia for much of the 10-week trial, had been traumatic for the family, Erin Patterson's estranged husband Simon Patterson - who was invited to the lunch but declined - said at the same hearing.—
Alasdair Pal,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Let’s say, a friend of mine, on her walk back from her barista job in South Philly, began to think about a certain someone from her past who had once gripped her heart.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
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
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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
-
Twenty-four hours later, Ohtani entered the visiting clubhouse in Baltimore and grabbed his glove.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
-
During the argument, Martin grabbed a hammer from Lawson that Lawson had been using to repair a patio door and raised it above his head in a striking motion, Lawson said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clutched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clutched. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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