clench

verb

clenched; clenching; clenches

transitive verb

1
2
: to hold fast : clutch
clenched the arms of the chair
3
: to set or close tightly
clench one's teeth
clench one's fists
clench noun

Examples of clench in a Sentence

He clenched his teeth and continued to look straight ahead. He clenched his fists in anger. She was angry and spoke quietly through clenched teeth. His jaw clenched and unclenched as he listened to the speech. She danced alone, with a rose clenched in her teeth. He was clenching a cigarette in his teeth.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Examples include: Stress: People under a lot of stress may be more likely to clench or grind their teeth. Maggie Aime, Msn, Health, 21 Oct. 2024 The most important step is to identify and correct oral behaviors that can contribute to burning mouth syndrome, like clenching or grinding your jaw. Kelly Burch Published, Verywell Health, 2 Oct. 2024 Try to get back to sleep faster than that, by clenching your eyes tightly shut and going back to sleep in a hurry. Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024 Try a gel or roller pen to minimize clenching and gripping. Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 31 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for clench 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English -clencan; akin to Old English clingan to cling

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of clench was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near clench

Cite this Entry

“Clench.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clench. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

clench

verb
1
: to hold fast : clutch
2
: to set or close tightly
clench one's teeth
clench one's fist

More from Merriam-Webster on clench

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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