as in clenches
to close or secure (something, such as a door) with a latch
latch the gate
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Recent Examples of latches
In a TikTok video, Eve promotes this $15 safety device that easily latches onto the strike plate of any door.
—
Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2026
Bad things happen when an AI chatbot latches onto one of your neuroses.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 8 Apr. 2026
As the Ivorian latches onto the through pass, Ryan Longman appears into shot, finishing first-time from a cutback to put the away side into the lead.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026
My brain latches onto the process of production so well.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
The robotic submarine latches onto the hull of friendly ships or submarines, conserving energy while traveling hundreds or thousands of miles to distant mission areas.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026
Typically said when someone copies a trend, latches onto a friend's obsession, or just teases in a playful way.
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 5 Sep. 2025
That against-the-odds spirit is what the documentary crew latches onto as the thread tying their story together.
—Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2026
Bad things happen when an AI chatbot latches onto one of your neuroses.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 8 Apr. 2026
As the Ivorian latches onto the through pass, Ryan Longman appears into shot, finishing first-time from a cutback to put the away side into the lead.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026
My brain latches onto the process of production so well.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
The robotic submarine latches onto the hull of friendly ships or submarines, conserving energy while traveling hundreds or thousands of miles to distant mission areas.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026
Typically said when someone copies a trend, latches onto a friend's obsession, or just teases in a playful way.
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 5 Sep. 2025
That against-the-odds spirit is what the documentary crew latches onto as the thread tying their story together.
—Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for latches
Verb
-
As the comedy progresses, its buoyant tone clenches and darkens, and the plot bends and lurches, in ways that, to me, felt unnecessarily punitive toward both Haru and the audience.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2026
-
As the infection takes hold, a patient’s jaw clenches, forcing the face into what appears to be a wide smile, and the back muscles contort into a painful arch.—
Mustafa Fattah,
NBC news,
24 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
King clasps his head, ready to shield his eyes if need be.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
26 May 2026
-
Abner clasps Questelle’s face in her hands.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
After that meeting, Ball and Michelotti became lasting friends; her photograph still hangs above the bar.—
David Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
-
This cloud hangs over everything.—
Zulekha Nathoo,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
In a chilling sequence, Dennis ties a garbage bag over Mallory’s head and drags her into the woods.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
-
The imbalance ties the hands of states trying to do what is fairest and allows states that don’t have commissions to change their maps and thus potentially their election outcomes.—
The Editorial Board,
Daily News,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
San Jose landing a Professional Women’s Hockey League franchise clinches an upgrade for the Bay Area after a pair of high-profile pro sports departures from the region.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
-
Ngannou exchanged strikes and clinches with Lins before finishing the Brazilian with a sweeping left hand to the head in the final minute of the first round.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
The sequencer pastes together the strings and the quality scores, along with some other metadata, read by read, to form what is called a FASTQ file.—
Dmitri Pavlichin,
IEEE Spectrum,
22 Aug. 2018
Verb
-
The Pocket Grip also features a central hex drive that clamps a standard hex bit.—
Maryna Holovnova,
New Atlas,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The device, which clamps onto the line just above the hook and pairs zinc and graphite in seawater, creates a small electric field about the size of a beachball around the hook, and rattles approaching sharks.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
When spinach bolts, the plant focuses its energy on producing flowers and seeds rather than leaves.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
29 Apr. 2026
-
If Leonard bolts, the Clippers will look to rebuild around young point guard Darius Garland, who came to the team in the Harden trade.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Latches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/latches. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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