as in grip
the act or manner of holding
fearful that his suitcase might be stolen, he never once relaxed his clench on the handle
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to grip
to have or keep in one's hands
clenched a tissue in his hands as he told his story of misfortune
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clench
Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
As Solène leaves, Rainbeau clenches her fists, talking herself out of hitting Solène and remembering the way disputes got resolved in her family.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2025
The pain was so severe that John even broke one of his teeth from clenching his jaw so hard.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
The result was a tension-release rally in a market that wasn’t all that clenched-up to begin with.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clench
Verb
With every stride, the leader breathes into the whistle clenched between his lips, producing a noise like the courting sigh of some prairie bird.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
As Solène leaves, Rainbeau clenches her fists, talking herself out of hitting Solène and remembering the way disputes got resolved in her family.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2025
The pain was so severe that John even broke one of his teeth from clenching his jaw so hard.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
The result was a tension-release rally in a market that wasn’t all that clenched-up to begin with.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clench
Noun
-
Husseini attempted to ply him with patronage, appointing him imam of a new mosque, but the cleric’s burgeoning following augured poorly for Husseini’s grip on power.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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These aftermarket ultra-high performance summer tires are an excellent choice for driving enthusiasts seeking to maximize grip in both dry and wet conditions (the fitment was 235/40R18—the factory stock size for the Civic Si).—
Michael Harley,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Despite getting the and-one call, Stewart fell to the court, clutching at her knee.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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Selah, whom Hill shares with Rohan Marley, the son of the late, legendary Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley, paired a navy blue blazer with a bright yellow feathery clutch purse and yellow shoes to match.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Industry executives such as Aravind Kamireddy grasp the reality that plugging the talent gap is not an overnight solution but rather a strategic need.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
15 Sep. 2025
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Should the Giants maintain this brand of ball, October baseball is well within their grasp.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Lift the wiper arms gently and make sure they're held firmly in place.—
Keenan Thompson,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
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And the timing of Williams’ recent improvement may represent a good sign for the Yankees, who are still holding onto a glimmer of hope of winning the AL East while attempting to secure the first wild-card spot and homefield advantage.—
Larry Fleisher,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Plus, grab knife sets and a nifty electric can opener to streamline your cooking.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
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As Jey checked on Jimmy, LA Knight grabbed the steel chair and teased hitting Jey Uso.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clench. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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