1
as in clusters
a number of things considered as a unit
a clutch of medals adorned the general's chest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in groups
a usually small number of persons considered as a unit
a clutch of people traveling together
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in crises
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action
a football quarterback who always comes through in the clutch
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in powers
the right or means to command or control others
a nation no longer living in the clutch of a cruel tyrant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in grips
to have or keep in one's hands
he clutched the eggs carefully so he wouldn't drop them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clutches
Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2026
In the Midwest, only 7% of clutches reach five eggs.
—Kathryn Kovalenko, Twin Cities, 29 Apr. 2026
But, does Sasha escape Ben's clutches?
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
The structure follows an A to M biopic trajectory, tuning out just when Michael broke free from the evil clutches of his abusive, belt-wielding manager and dad Joseph – portrayed by Colman Domingo, going full tilt as a villain.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
Bergamot scents a dish of Alpine trout and cauliflower purée, while one of his team is a forager from the region, and brings back clutches of pine needles and wild spinach.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Black throat monitors reproduce by laying eggs, and females can produce large clutches.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 20 Apr. 2026
Advertisement Meanwhile, another gaggle of bloodhounds successfully overpowers the bodyguards who have been tasked with keeping So-yeon, aka Geon-woo’s mom, out of Baek-jeong’s clutches.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 3 Apr. 2026
Claire Randall falls through the stones at Inverness and, after escaping the clutches of series-best villain Black Jack Randall, links up with those Highlanders and spends time at Castle Leoch and Lallybroch.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Brandy Jensen, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026
Martin Short clutches his laptop walking onto set for Jimmy Kimmel Live!
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
Mispelys Salazar clutches a stack of papers close to her chest as bristling wind gusts threaten to send them flying into the air.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 1 Dec. 2025
On the plane, Dick clutches the slingshot and begins sweating and muttering to himself before becoming unresponsive.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
The older woman clutches her top towel closer to her.
—Weike Wang, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
Between cleverly convertible shoulder bags and elegant clutches, there’s a pick for every outfit and occasion this spring.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2026
In the Midwest, only 7% of clutches reach five eggs.
—Kathryn Kovalenko, Twin Cities, 29 Apr. 2026
But, does Sasha escape Ben's clutches?
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
The structure follows an A to M biopic trajectory, tuning out just when Michael broke free from the evil clutches of his abusive, belt-wielding manager and dad Joseph – portrayed by Colman Domingo, going full tilt as a villain.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
Bergamot scents a dish of Alpine trout and cauliflower purée, while one of his team is a forager from the region, and brings back clutches of pine needles and wild spinach.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Black throat monitors reproduce by laying eggs, and females can produce large clutches.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 20 Apr. 2026
Advertisement Meanwhile, another gaggle of bloodhounds successfully overpowers the bodyguards who have been tasked with keeping So-yeon, aka Geon-woo’s mom, out of Baek-jeong’s clutches.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 3 Apr. 2026
Claire Randall falls through the stones at Inverness and, after escaping the clutches of series-best villain Black Jack Randall, links up with those Highlanders and spends time at Castle Leoch and Lallybroch.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
Lemann, like the talkative older ladies of her youth, clutches the motifs of her past like talismans.
—Brandy Jensen, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026
Martin Short clutches his laptop walking onto set for Jimmy Kimmel Live!
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
Mispelys Salazar clutches a stack of papers close to her chest as bristling wind gusts threaten to send them flying into the air.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 1 Dec. 2025
On the plane, Dick clutches the slingshot and begins sweating and muttering to himself before becoming unresponsive.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
The older woman clutches her top towel closer to her.
—Weike Wang, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clutches
Noun
-
This fast-growing shrub got its name from the shape of its colorful flowers, which grow as dense spikes or round clusters in red, pink, yellow, or white that attract hummingbirds.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
17 May 2026
-
Spread to Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, and Uganda plus clusters of unexplained deaths suggest a far larger outbreak than reported and raise fresh alarms over funding, supplies and regional preparedness.—
Chinedu Asadu,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Many are surfers and on WhatsApp groups that have the latest intel on which beach has the best waves that day, so do ask them for advice.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
-
Fuel and fertilizer needed for the rice crop are just the latest necessities to become unaffordable in Rakhine state, which has been devastated by intense fighting between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA), one of the many rebel groups in the country.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
The Institute observed that a UBI program did not necessarily cause inflation; delivery system strength is key; an effective communication strategy is essential; the UBI program should fit within existing schemes; and crises shed light on the gaps in social protection systems.—
Carrie Brandon Elliot,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
As mental health crises and resources continue to stretch, many fear the consequences could echo the fallout from the Covid pandemic.—
Will Barker,
TheWeek,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
The world’s leading space powers desperately want to know what the others are up to high above the equator.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
-
Does Claire somehow heal him with her powers?—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
In one example, the robot grips a can sideways, a simple mistake that could lead to spills, showing that human-like understanding remains limited.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Fast forward to today and those fears have materialized with dizzying speed as a historic oil and gas crisis sparked by the US and Israel’s war with Iran grips the world.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Both the Electric Skillet and Slow Cooker are 6-quart, family-sized workhorses designed for big batches, meal prep or feeding a crowd.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
-
Instead, work in batches as needed.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
To prevent mealybug infestations, allow airflow between plant groupings and keep infected plants away from healthy ones.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
14 May 2026
-
When in a forest, stay in proximity to shorter tree groupings.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Initially trained in physics at Imperial College London before working at Amazon, Cuturi approaches the art world with the logic of a strategist but the instincts of a collector, positioning his gallery at the crossroads between Southeast Asia and Europe rather than simply another Parisian outpost.—
Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2026
-
DiVincenzo is an easy player to plug into a variety of lineups, as the last few years have shown, but that’s a difficult injury to be at a crossroads for.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clutches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clutches. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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