as in control
the right or means to command or control others
the cult leader had such a death grip on his followers that all orders were carried out without the slightest objection
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Recent Examples of death grip
Across genres and styles, new books must maintain a death grip on the reader’s attention, fearful of losing it to the many readily accessible distractions lying at most one foot from the book itself.
—
Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
Detachment creates attachment The death grip on your goals is what's killing them.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Next, scientists will need to examine Cretaceous leaves for evidence of death grips to see if the prehistoric fungi had evolved to manipulate insects’ behavior during this time, says Jarzembowski in the statement.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 June 2025
After further assessment and some discussion, the team focused on the quad, which evidently had a death grip on Tichyque’s femur.
—Literary Hub, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for death grip
Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
Detachment creates attachment The death grip on your goals is what's killing them.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Next, scientists will need to examine Cretaceous leaves for evidence of death grips to see if the prehistoric fungi had evolved to manipulate insects’ behavior during this time, says Jarzembowski in the statement.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 June 2025
After further assessment and some discussion, the team focused on the quad, which evidently had a death grip on Tichyque’s femur.
—Literary Hub, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for death grip
Recent Examples of Synonyms for death grip
Noun
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Tyson is an explosive separator with acrobatic body control.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
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But Saugus responded with six runs in the bottom of the third inning to grab firm control of the contest.—
Matt Wagner,
Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Nineteen even-strength saves, five power-play saves, no muss, no fuss.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
20 Apr. 2026
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The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Ramoley generates tremendous power from the right side of the plate, as demonstrated by his three-run homer.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For China, bringing Taiwan under its dominion would break through that barrier and expand its military reach.—
Wayne Chang,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
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The National Capital Planning Commission has dominion over all White House construction and will vote on the plans today.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Safety is the second major constraint, as SkyDream identifies trailer sway at high speed as one of the most persistent engineering challenges in towable systems.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Apr. 2026
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Editors debate entries all year long, using only cultural sway as rubric.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Emerald Isle, North Carolina Taking the scenic route is inevitable in this easygoing community, where white sands and blue-green waters reign (hence the name).—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2026
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Green was the first women’s United States champion in the belt’s history and the first to have multiple reigns.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Death grip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/death%20grip. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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