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
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
Alma clutched her arm and didn’t let go—a death grip.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for death grip
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
Alma clutched her arm and didn’t let go—a death grip.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for death grip
Recent Examples of Synonyms for death grip
Noun
-
Taiwan is considering the years-long process of restarting two reactors because of the current crisis, which will require meticulous inspections, safety checks and control system verifications.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
If the former is about the inevitability of falling in love, a complete surrender beyond the speaker’s control, the latter confronts the pain of romantic love’s aftermath.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The power of an orator who can, in this way, fuse feeling and doctrine is immense.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The American president's agenda has striking parallels with the way the Hungarian leader used the levers of government to tilt the media, judiciary and electoral system to keep his party in power for 16 years.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 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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We’re meant to see that Rochester is under the sway of giant companies such as Xerox, where Sam works and begins to form a secret life, but that culture doesn’t really register in the novel.—
Chris Hewitt,
Boston Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
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The plaintiffs further contend that USASF and other cheerleading bodies under Varsity’s sway awarded bids to all-star championship events in ways that reinforced Varsity’s market dominance and stifled competition.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Before the building was completed, Ceaușescu’s reign ended in revolution.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Queen Elizabeth's record reign encompassed 15 British prime ministers, audiences with 13 sitting American presidents and at least 14 generations of corgis roaming her royal homes, to her great joy.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Death grip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/death%20grip. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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