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
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2026
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.
—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 comedy progresses, its buoyant tone clenches and darkens, and the plot bends and lurches, in ways that, to me, felt unnecessarily punitive toward both Haru and the audience.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2026
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.
—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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clenches
Noun
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Either way, regulars are probably coming to grips with a glass-half-empty feeling.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The controller’s matte finish provides a solid connection to the comfortable palm grips, which are angled to naturally position your thumbs easily over the thumbsticks and face buttons.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Lemann, like the talkative older ladies of her youth, clutches the motifs of her past like talismans.—
Brandy Jensen,
New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Martin Short clutches his laptop walking onto set for Jimmy Kimmel Live!—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Through universal intelligent manipulation, the robot autonomously plans grasps, adjusts force in real time, and navigates obstacles using seamless hand–eye coordination.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Jan. 2026
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The Hurricanes needed that to happen after the game nearly slipped out of their grasps.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Unlike most other races on the ballot, the June 2 election is not a primary and will determine who holds the board seat through June 2030.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
1 May 2026
-
Forecasters aren't sure what the future holds.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
In a dramatic finish, the hem of the bodysuit transformed into garter points embellished with miniature satin bow ties and matching gold suspension clasps.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
11 Apr. 2026
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The waterproof nylon exterior includes slash-resistant lining and straps, locking clasps to secure valuables, and RFID-blocking technology to help ward off pickpockets.—
Kayla Kitts,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Kurt's key takeaways The skating is what grabs you first.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
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This evergreen, perennial vine grabs the attention of those looking for an ornamental groundcover.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clenches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clenches. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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