as in grips
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 clutches
to have or keep in one's hands
clenched a tissue in his hands as he told his story of misfortune
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clenches
Mustafa Fattah, NBC news, 24 Dec. 2025
When the sky darkens, her stomach clenches.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
In a similar way, a man who is defiant stiffens his neck, squares his shoulders, lowers his brows, and clenches his fists with his knuckles forward.
—Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
Zonal reinforcements fend off unfriendly rocks, stumps and features, and a Vibram Megagrip sole clenches all kinds of slippery, unbalanced raw ground.
—New Atlas, 21 Sep. 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
Verb
As the infection takes hold, a patient’s jaw clenches, forcing the face into what appears to be a wide smile, and the back muscles contort into a painful arch.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for clenches
Noun
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But in the second season of the series, which wrapped last Sunday, a new sense of uncertainty, reflection, and maturity grips the central characters, making for even better television.—
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The changes to the federal vaccine schedule come as Rhode Island is in the grips of a severe flu season, which has led hospital systems to institute masking requirements at their medical facilities.—
Verb
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Mispelys Salazar clutches a stack of papers close to her chest as bristling wind gusts threaten to send them flying into the air.—
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On the plane, Dick clutches the slingshot and begins sweating and muttering to himself before becoming unresponsive.—
Noun
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His team first examined 30 natural hand grasps, from holding a small bead to lifting a large bottle.—
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The Hurricanes needed that to happen after the game nearly slipped out of their grasps.—
Verb
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One cheerfully holds a toothbrush, her hair wrapped in a matching second towel (for me, a universal symbol of maturity and womanhood.—
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Outside of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North, who both stand alone as the only squads in their division with winning records, every other divisional leader holds only a slim edge over rivals in hot pursuit.—
Noun
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This cozy cable knit is held together with two utilitarian clasps—adorable, yet edgy.—
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Ancient book clasps — used to keep manuscript tomes shut — were uncovered at the site, along with styli, the medieval equivalents of pens and pencils.—
Verb
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But as the ball arrives the defender grabs the jersey with the right hand and pulls the defender down.—
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As one officer grabs at her door handle, a third officer who had circled to the front of the SUV from the opposite side draws his gun.—
Cite this Entry
“Clenches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clenches. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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