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
Alma clutched her arm and didn’t let go—a death grip.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
The baby boomer death grip continues.
—ABC News, 29 Dec. 2024
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
Alma clutched her arm and didn’t let go—a death grip.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
The baby boomer death grip continues.
—ABC News, 29 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for death grip
Recent Examples of Synonyms for death grip
Noun
-
The scale of the Republican Party's triumph in 2024—taking the White House, flipping the Senate and maintaining control of the House—has sparked soul-searching within the Democratic Party over what went wrong, how to rebuild, and party leadership and direction.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The Philippines is one of Asia’s most flood-prone countries but this year it has also been mired in a massive corruption scandal involving flood control projects that have brought thousands of protesters out onto the streets.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The experience also reinforced Madsen’s belief in the power of social media.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Mophie's power bank has the functionality of a wireless MagSafe connection, with the convenience of a stand.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
His strong-arming of universities, law firms, and media companies is a response to real problems, but his actions seem aimed more at harming those entities—and expanding his dominion over them—than at crafting enduring fixes.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
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But with rising numbers of Jewish immigrants escaping antisemitism in Europe, and the Palestinian population uniting in the largest and longest uprising against Britain’s 30-year dominion, all sides spiral towards inevitable collision.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
27 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Showing little propulsive momentum at the index level and under the sway of wide dispersion among stocks and sectors, this churning phase has left investor positioning and attitudes shy of dangerous extremes.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
5 Jan. 2026
-
But Venezuela became a founding member of OPEC in 1960, along with Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, giving Venezuela more sway in global affairs and more power to wield over the companies that did business in its state.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
After her historic 70-year reign came to an end in 2022, Queen Elizabeth's son was crowned king.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Browns are Back Gray’s long reign has officially come to an end.—
Sophie Aliece Hollis,
Martha Stewart,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Death grip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/death%20grip. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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