LATCHING Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

latching

verb

present participle of latch

as in clenching

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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for latching

Verb

While not everyone experiences such dramatic effects, experts say stress, clenching and even past trauma can contribute to TMJ issues.

— Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 22 May 2026
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.

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 May 2026