clenched; clenching; clenches
1
2
: to hold fast : clutch
clenched the arms of the chair
3
: to set or close tightly
clench one's teeth
clench one's fists
clench
noun
Examples of clench in a Sentence
He clenched his teeth and continued to look straight ahead.
He clenched his fists in anger.
She was angry and spoke quietly through clenched teeth.
His jaw clenched and unclenched as he listened to the speech.
She danced alone, with a rose clenched in her teeth.
He was clenching a cigarette in his teeth.
Recent Examples on the Web
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
My stomach clenched with worry.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Melvin Council stood amid a crowd of his Kansas teammates, clenching a black belt in his fist.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 25 Jan. 2026
Don’t leave home without a rose clenched between your teeth.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clench
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Justin Chang, New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2026
My stomach clenched with worry.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Melvin Council stood amid a crowd of his Kansas teammates, clenching a black belt in his fist.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 25 Jan. 2026
Don’t leave home without a rose clenched between your teeth.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clench
Cite this Entry
“Clench.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clench. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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