as in clutched
to have or keep in one's hands
clenched a tissue in his hands as he told his story of misfortune
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 clenched
The White House Key Facts A rendering of the passport shared by the White House on Friday shows Trump presumably leaning over the Resolute Desk, fists clenched, alongside his signature and text from the Declaration of Independence.
—
Antonio Pequeño Iv,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
Coley and the audience know this isn’t true, but Sonya’s clenched jaw and steely gaze don’t leave room for questions.
—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
As the ball landed safely on the other side of the left field fence at Nationals Park on Monday, Dylan Crews clenched his fists and let out a scream.
—
Danielle Allentuck,
Washington Post,
16 June 2026
An accompanying photograph shows Glimcher holding the viewer’s gaze, his right hand outstretched on the desk, clenched in a tight fist.
—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
4 June 2026
On April 23, LeCroy remembered, Crews caught a sinking liner, held his glove in the air, clenched his fist and screamed into his glove.
—
Spencer Nusbaum,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
Tuanzebe—born in Bunia, raised in Rochdale—is sprinting toward the corner flag, fists clenched at his waist, triumphant.
—
Franklin Leonard,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
Knives are clutched, teeth are clenched, and a desperate Russian ex-pat yells loud enough for their long-dead ancestors to hear all the way back in the motherland.
—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
Jordan clenched the cup so tightly her knuckles turned white.
—
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
Antonio Pequeño Iv,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
Coley and the audience know this isn’t true, but Sonya’s clenched jaw and steely gaze don’t leave room for questions.
—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
As the ball landed safely on the other side of the left field fence at Nationals Park on Monday, Dylan Crews clenched his fists and let out a scream.
—
Danielle Allentuck,
Washington Post,
16 June 2026
An accompanying photograph shows Glimcher holding the viewer’s gaze, his right hand outstretched on the desk, clenched in a tight fist.
—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
4 June 2026
On April 23, LeCroy remembered, Crews caught a sinking liner, held his glove in the air, clenched his fist and screamed into his glove.
—
Spencer Nusbaum,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
Tuanzebe—born in Bunia, raised in Rochdale—is sprinting toward the corner flag, fists clenched at his waist, triumphant.
—
Franklin Leonard,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
Knives are clutched, teeth are clenched, and a desperate Russian ex-pat yells loud enough for their long-dead ancestors to hear all the way back in the motherland.
—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
Jordan clenched the cup so tightly her knuckles turned white.
—
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clenched
Verb
-
Allowance clutched in hot hands, the neighborhood kids come together to choose among ice pops, Italian ice, and all kinds of colorful ice cream treats.
-
Women clutched photographs of sons and brothers killed in the war — many of them fighting for Hezbollah — while others held photographs of Nasrallah or Iran’s Khamenei.
Verb
-
Like much of Europe, Romania has been gripped by a heatwave this week, with temperatures in some areas forecast to exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
-
Button Gwinnett didn’t want to be in Philadelphia for the Second Continental Congress in the summer of 1776, and not just because a heat wave gripped the city and delegates dressed in wool and powdered wigs.
Verb
-
The rapper, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested in September 2024.
-
That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.
Cite this Entry
“Clenched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clenched. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
