clutch 1 of 3

Definition of clutchnext

clutch

2 of 3

noun (2)

clutch

3 of 3

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word clutch different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of clutch are grab, grasp, seize, snatch, and take. While all these words mean "to get hold of by or as if by catching up with the hand," clutch suggests avidity or anxiety in seizing or grasping and may imply less success in holding.

clutching her purse

How do grab and snatch relate to one another, in the sense of clutch?

Grab implies more roughness or rudeness than snatch.

grabbed roughly by the arm

When can grasp be used instead of clutch?

The words grasp and clutch are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, grasp stresses a laying hold so as to have firmly in possession.

grasp the handle and pull

In what contexts can seize take the place of clutch?

While in some cases nearly identical to clutch, seize implies a sudden and forcible movement in getting hold of something tangible or an apprehending of something fleeting or elusive when intangible.

seized the suspect

How are the words snatch and seize related as synonyms of clutch?

Snatch suggests more suddenness or quickness but less force than seize.

snatched a doughnut and ran

Where would take be a reasonable alternative to clutch?

The words take and clutch can be used in similar contexts, but take is a general term applicable to any manner of getting something into one's possession or control.

take some salad from the bowl

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 clutch
Noun
Down to its last strike in the seventh inning, Guyer needed a clutch hit and got it. Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 May 2026 Throw it over your shoulders for a secure, hands-free option while sightseeing or navigating busy crowds, or remove the straps to instantly transform it into a chic clutch for fancier occasions. Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2026
Verb
Some defensive miscues and Pierce’s clutch two-run double in the sixth, though, tied it at 6-6. Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2026 The fluid was sold as replacement brake and clutch fluid and distributed through dealers and direct purchasers tied to General Motors and ACDelco supply channels. Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for clutch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clutch
Noun
  • Storms that develop along the front could organize into clusters or lines, increasing the risk for damaging winds and large hail.
    Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 14 May 2026
  • Specifically, the spacetime warped by the MACS J046 clusters magnifies light traveling from LAP1-B toward Earth by roughly 100-fold.
    Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • Wall Street has reacted with caution to the latest batch of inflation readings, scaling back expectations of a near-term rate cut.
    Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
  • Once shimmering, add the shrimp and cook until opaque and golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side (working in batches if necessary, and adding more oil as needed).
    Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • Starmer appears to have seen off any immediate leadership challenge for now, and will hope that today’s pomp, pageantry and policy agenda can shift attention away from the current crisis.
    Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 13 May 2026
  • Wednesday’s report came during one of the worst budget crises in the city of Sacramento since the Great Recession.
    Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • Data center projects are likely to migrate to parts of Europe with lower power costs, creating winners and losers across the continent, the experts said.
    April Roach,Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 18 May 2026
  • Jeffers flashed his power again, hitting the go-ahead homer Sunday and finishing 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored as the Twins avoided a series sweep.
    Dan Hayes, New York Times, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • State and federal investigators returned Tuesday to a North Texas home at the center of the disappearance of a 6-year-old boy, digging up parts of the backyard as authorities pursue new leads in a case that has gripped the community for years.
    Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 13 May 2026
  • April’s inflation rate means prices are now rising faster than wages for the first time since 2023, which could aggravate the affordability crisis that has already been gripping consumers.
    Steve Kopack, NBC news, 12 May 2026
Noun
  • Instead, hormone signals and the glands that produce them are part of a communication system that organises every cell, turning collections of independently functioning cells, tissues and organs into an interconnected human body.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
  • The interactive museum is finishing up a major expansion, and visitors will soon be able to see even more of its extensive collection up close.
    Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • Another photo taken from the moon’s surface appears to show a grouping of three small dots in the sky, with a transcript of communications between Apollo 17 operators revealing an exchange over the unknown objects.
    Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
  • When in a forest, stay in proximity to shorter tree groupings.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • All of the suspects were dressed head-to-toe in black, with some wearing hoods and masks.
    Louis Casiano , Brooke Taylor, FOXNews.com, 20 May 2026
  • Collins’s main competitors are Derek Dooley, the former head coach of the football programs at Louisiana Tech and the University of Tennessee, and Buddy Carter, another Georgia congressman.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 19 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Clutch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clutch. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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