LATCHED Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

latched

verb

past tense of latch

as in clenched

to close or secure (something, such as a door) with a latch latch the gate

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of latched His father, Jeff Cebula, said his son was looking at fish in a creek when a beaver latched onto his chest. — Ashley Paul, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026 In a moment of chaos in the back, Colorado native Lindsey Heaps latched onto the rebound and coolly slotted the ball past the Angel City goalkeeper. — Spencer Baldwin, Denver Post, 12 Sep. 2026 And a lot of people latched onto her as this avatar of this particular viewpoint of keeping women's sports exclusively for cisgender women. — Sam Fragoso, NPR, 10 Sep. 2026 That riddim quickly took off as other artists in the 2000s latched onto the popularity and danceability of that beat. — Danny Hajjar, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2026 So, both populations of ribosomes latched onto the messenger RNA but used different populations of transfer RNAs to make a protein using the messenger. — ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026 In the absence of stronger signals, the model had latched onto it. — Lauren Livak Gilbert, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, perhaps the EU’s leading right-wing immigration restrictionist, latched onto the Ceuta episode. — Kelsey Norman, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026 Residents are encouraged to use bear-resistant containers with lids latched, store garbage in a garage or shed until collection day, and put cans at the curb the morning of pickup rather than the night before. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for latched

Verb

Parents rushing to a reunification center, hearts clenched with the hope of finding their children among the survivors.

— Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
All of the grandeur and energy of Pollock’s looping brambles and cords are clenched in Krasner’s versions.

— Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of clenched

Verb

In southwest Washington, polling has indicated the congressional race may be essentially tied.

— Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Polls showed Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and rightist challenger Flávio Bolsonaro were in effect tied ahead of Sunday’s runoff, with the result potentially coming down to which candidate’s supporters stay away from the ballot box.

— Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of tied

Verb

The Wikimedia Foundation is also working on a tool called Paste Check, which can flag text pasted directly from some AI chatbots.

— Eliza Strickland, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Oct. 2026
The mural in question is pasted along the side of the Jolly Colliers Pub building in Bedminster, Bristol.

— Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of pasted

Verb

On the guys’ side, Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, who relaunched Public School New York earlier this year, clinched a nomination for menswear designer of the year.

— Alexandra Hildreth, Vogue, 22 Oct. 2026
The Daily Mail reports some major catfighting went on backstage, with many participants green with envy assuming that momager Kris Jenner clinched the deal.

— Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of clinched

Verb

The teacher bolted from the room as the shooter reached for his shotgun.

— Russ Bynum, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
The bill was renamed in June after Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old tourist from India, died while jumping after his mother when their carriage horse bolted on a sightseeing tour in the park.

— Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of bolted

Verb

Once the stock is clamped, a Structured-Light sensor and a workpiece probe measure it and set the work offset automatically, so there are no stock dimensions to type in and no edges to find by hand.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026
After the safeguard pipe is clamped, Juliette and her crew — including the mechanics, sheriff and Camille — venture down to the door Lukas found in the digger void.

— Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026