as in clenching
to close or secure (something, such as a door) with a latch
latch the gate
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Recent Examples of latching
Here against Casa Pia, for example, Suarez sets off at speed as soon as the ball breaks loose, latching onto an outside-of-the-boot pass with a run into the channels that is reminiscent of Gyokeres at Sporting last season.
—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Leslie Mann delivers a heartwarming performance as a woman drifting through a midlife reset, latching onto two college students locked in a subtle competition for her attention.
—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
The strategy is paying off, with an increasing number of listeners latching onto Toledo’s great versions of these soul/pop/R&B classics.
—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
Fifth-place Monaco grabbed a second goal 10 minutes into the second half when midfielder Aleksandr Golovin, who had just come on, slid the ball into the bottom corner after latching onto a cross from the right.
—
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
Now, some are latching onto the wave of anti-OpenAI sentiment to voice broader critiques of the company.
—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
5 Mar. 2026
One very funny snippet has Elvis giving a sweet peck on the cheek to a little girl at the lip of the stage followed by what appears to be her big sister latching her lips onto him like a mollusk before being peeled off by her mother.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Feb. 2026
Naval warfare goes a bit clingy as Lockheed Martin unveils its robotic Lamprey Multi-Mission Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (MMAUV), which can hitch a ride on friendly ships or submarines by latching onto their hulls to conserve power.
—
David Szondy
february 09,
New Atlas,
9 Feb. 2026
Some bright minds are already latching onto this idea.
—
Anthony Digiorgio,
Washington Post,
6 Feb. 2026
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Leslie Mann delivers a heartwarming performance as a woman drifting through a midlife reset, latching onto two college students locked in a subtle competition for her attention.
—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
The strategy is paying off, with an increasing number of listeners latching onto Toledo’s great versions of these soul/pop/R&B classics.
—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
Fifth-place Monaco grabbed a second goal 10 minutes into the second half when midfielder Aleksandr Golovin, who had just come on, slid the ball into the bottom corner after latching onto a cross from the right.
—
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
Now, some are latching onto the wave of anti-OpenAI sentiment to voice broader critiques of the company.
—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
5 Mar. 2026
One very funny snippet has Elvis giving a sweet peck on the cheek to a little girl at the lip of the stage followed by what appears to be her big sister latching her lips onto him like a mollusk before being peeled off by her mother.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Feb. 2026
Naval warfare goes a bit clingy as Lockheed Martin unveils its robotic Lamprey Multi-Mission Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (MMAUV), which can hitch a ride on friendly ships or submarines by latching onto their hulls to conserve power.
—
David Szondy
february 09,
New Atlas,
9 Feb. 2026
Some bright minds are already latching onto this idea.
—
Anthony Digiorgio,
Washington Post,
6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for latching
Verb
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While not everyone experiences such dramatic effects, experts say stress, clenching and even past trauma can contribute to TMJ issues.
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The Beloved, his first film in Competition at Cannes, is an incredible achievement that builds on all those films and leaves them standing in the dust, hitting all the same tense throat-clenching beats but somehow transcending genre altogether.
Verb
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Dodging rockfall that would’ve cracked my low-hanging differential.
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In another, a Midwestern college town is hanging flags and learning chants for a country most of its residents had never thought much about before June.
Verb
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Morocco lost a pair of 1-0 games before tying Spain but failed to get out of the group stage.
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By late 2024, immigration had become markedly more salient in Irish politics, with anti-immigration candidates gaining traction and political observers tying that shift directly to the riots.
Verb
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In one segment, when Kimmel and McNearney pick up a hitchhiking Olivia Rodrigo while taking the family to school, Jane shows off her personality, clasping her hands over her mouth in disbelief when Rodrigo enters the car, only to sing-along with the pop star on her way to school.
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McDaniels held onto Murray for dear life — often literally clasping his jersey — as the Nuggets tried to run him off every conceivable screen.
Verb
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The Knicks lost that game to the San Antonio Spurs — their only loss in the series — but won the following two, clinching the Larry O'Brien Trophy in San Antonio over the weekend.
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Other starry Knicks diehards include Timothée Chalamet, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, and Spike Lee, who were all present to see Brunson lead his team to victory 94-90 over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, clinching the NBA Finals title for the first time in 53 years.
Verb
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With buckets of glue in hand, families and friends have taken to pasting images of the victims across the city to make sure they’re not forgotten.
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This led to the cutting and pasting practice whereby smaller rural or town newspapers borrowed from the larger newspapers in urban centers.
Verb
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However, instead of the pilot starting the engines during pushback and the tug disconnecting afterward, TaxiBot remains attached to the nose gear via a specialized pivoting clamping platform.
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The plush cushioning in the earcups, leatherette finish, and modest clamping force hold them securely.
Verb
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Cat care also has a physical component, including bending to scoop litter and navigating a pet that can sometimes get underfoot, creating a fall risk.
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Fatigue damage is the bridge version of bending a paper clip back and forth.
Cite this Entry
“Latching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/latching. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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