as in clenched
to close or secure (something, such as a door) with a latch
latch the gate
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Recent Examples of latched
Still, that showiness in dialogue is latched to a shallowness of characterization.
—
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 29 Jan. 2026
Rhine and other backers of the fees latched onto another line in the report that said the charges contribute to less than 5% of total development costs.
—Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Heinrich Himmler and other Third Reich occultists in the 1930s latched onto the strange idea that the Aryan race was not the product of evolution but descended from semidivine beings who left the heavens and established a secret civilization on Earth, possibly beneath Central Asia.
—Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
The ‘Top Gun’ and meme effect Across social networks, users have latched onto the cinematic quality of Macron’s look, repeatedly referencing Top Gun and joking that the French leader appeared ready to step into a cockpit rather than a conference hall.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
Inside the vehicle, the koala, named Peri, latched onto a yellow handrail and enjoyed the rest of the ride.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025
Cook latched onto the Jets’ roster as an undrafted free agent.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 14 Dec. 2025
The Philadelphia Phillies' run of success over the last four years has been built on chemistry, and outfielder Brandon Marsh has been a player the fan base has latched onto because of his infectious energy.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Douglas Morris says some people latched onto sports in high school but video production was more his style.
—Mykal McEldowney, IndyStar, 26 Nov. 2025
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 29 Jan. 2026
Rhine and other backers of the fees latched onto another line in the report that said the charges contribute to less than 5% of total development costs.
—Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Heinrich Himmler and other Third Reich occultists in the 1930s latched onto the strange idea that the Aryan race was not the product of evolution but descended from semidivine beings who left the heavens and established a secret civilization on Earth, possibly beneath Central Asia.
—Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
The ‘Top Gun’ and meme effect Across social networks, users have latched onto the cinematic quality of Macron’s look, repeatedly referencing Top Gun and joking that the French leader appeared ready to step into a cockpit rather than a conference hall.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
Inside the vehicle, the koala, named Peri, latched onto a yellow handrail and enjoyed the rest of the ride.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025
Cook latched onto the Jets’ roster as an undrafted free agent.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 14 Dec. 2025
The Philadelphia Phillies' run of success over the last four years has been built on chemistry, and outfielder Brandon Marsh has been a player the fan base has latched onto because of his infectious energy.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Douglas Morris says some people latched onto sports in high school but video production was more his style.
—Mykal McEldowney, IndyStar, 26 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for latched
Verb
-
Don’t leave home without a rose clenched between your teeth.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
17 Jan. 2026
-
As Rathbun and other officers retreated, Webster clenched both fists, crouched into a linebacker’s stance, and charged into Rathbun, knocking him to the ground.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As a result, phishing emails tied to this breach may appear legitimate and urgent.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
One minute later, on a cross-ice pass from Kyrou to Pavel Buchnevich, and a seam pass from Buchnevich to Snuggerud, the 21-year-old rookie teed up a one-timer for his third game-winning goal of the season, tied for the team lead.—
Jeremy Rutherford,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Posters calling for statewide action and promoting the protest march and rally are pasted in the windows of businesses near the University of Minnesota.—
Natasha Korecki,
NBC news,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Dan could see no footholds ex‑ cept a crystal shaped like a domino pasted onto the rock.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The sports drama clinched three nods, including Best Picture and Best Screenplay.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Brian Worrell appeared to have the Council presidency clinched the night before, when Gabriela Coletta Zapata, who claimed the have the job for months, dropped out after three of her key supporters flipped their votes to Worrell, per City Hall sources.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Smith sits poised, contemplative, his hands clasped together.—
Sam Kestenbaum,
Vulture,
2 Jan. 2026
-
The 41-year-old Monterey Park resident clasped a cup of hot chocolate.—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Vladislav Gavrikov, who bolted in free agency over the summer, returned to his old stomping grounds for the first time and picked up an assist for his new team and an unwelcome one for his former cohorts as well.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Reynolds scored 16 of his 22 points in the first quarter as Martin bolted out to a 29-2 lead after one and led 45-13 at halftime.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And if the elements are glued on, the dryer is likely to cause the glue to melt.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Florida’s defense has clamped up, holding opponents to three goals or fewer in six of these eight games.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
18 Dec. 2025
-
The system the engineers developed consists of a series of pneumatic tubes that deploy from a pressurized box on one side of a robotic arm, use air pressure to snake under or around a specific object, then rejoin the arm on the other side where they are clamped in place.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
17 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Latched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/latched. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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