as in clenched
to have or keep in one's hands
he clutched the eggs carefully so he wouldn't drop them
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Recent Examples of clutched
Alessandro clutched his dad tightly.
—
Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
The pair’s snow boots tramped the nearly week-old Kansas City snow, two candles clutched in their small hands.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2026
James clutched the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the final image.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Then Elliss sprinted to fall on the ball, got up and ran toward the nearest end zone in celebration, all while Herbert laid flat on his back and clutched his chest plate with both hands.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
To complete her outfit, Kylie clutched a White Birkin Faubourg House Alligator Bag, which is worth anywhere from $200K to upwards of $300K, according to Sotheby's.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Raynaud clutched his left knee while writhing in pain before limping off the floor with assistance from head athletic trainer Joel Noland.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 4 Jan. 2026
Arabs saw Lyra as a goose, and in fact, in early American history, Lyra was seen as a small eagle with a harp clutched in its beak.
—Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 23 Nov. 2025
As Menken thanked their Pocahontas music team, Schwartz clutched his golden statuette and smiled, looking down at Mel Gibson in the front row making funny faces at him and soaking in the acknowledgment from Hollywood.
—CBS News, 16 Nov. 2025
Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
The pair’s snow boots tramped the nearly week-old Kansas City snow, two candles clutched in their small hands.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2026
James clutched the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the final image.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Then Elliss sprinted to fall on the ball, got up and ran toward the nearest end zone in celebration, all while Herbert laid flat on his back and clutched his chest plate with both hands.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
To complete her outfit, Kylie clutched a White Birkin Faubourg House Alligator Bag, which is worth anywhere from $200K to upwards of $300K, according to Sotheby's.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Raynaud clutched his left knee while writhing in pain before limping off the floor with assistance from head athletic trainer Joel Noland.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 4 Jan. 2026
Arabs saw Lyra as a goose, and in fact, in early American history, Lyra was seen as a small eagle with a harp clutched in its beak.
—Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 23 Nov. 2025
As Menken thanked their Pocahontas music team, Schwartz clutched his golden statuette and smiled, looking down at Mel Gibson in the front row making funny faces at him and soaking in the acknowledgment from Hollywood.
—CBS News, 16 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clutched
Verb
-
My stomach clenched with worry.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Don’t leave home without a rose clenched between your teeth.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The leadership change comes as the country remains gripped by gang violence, with armed groups controlling large swaths of Port-au-Prince.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Her baffling disappearance has gripped the nation, leading many Americans to question how an octogenarian leading a sleepy life in the Southwest was taken while her neighbors were asleep.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
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.—
Daniel S. Levine,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Doncic turned to run back up the court and grabbed the back of his left leg.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Jarrett Allen scored 10 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Dennis Schroder added 11 points in his Cavaliers debut and Keon Ellis had 6 points in his first game with the Cavaliers, who won for the seventh time in eight games.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clutched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clutched. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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