clinching

verb

present participle of clinch
as in deciding
to make final, definite, or beyond dispute the rain clinched the matter: we would have the party indoors

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 clinching Los Angeles ultimately came back to win, clinching its second straight championship. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026 Perennial contenders despite the payroll constraints, unbothered by their underdog status even after clinching the top seed in the league. — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026 The collection includes the clubhouse shirt players wore after clinching the NL East, on-field hats featuring the postseason patch and items such as pennants, pins, magnets, keychains and baseballs. — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026 One day after clinching the AL Central title, the Guardians fielded a makeshift lineup missing several regulars. — ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026 Sean Burke wasn’t too worried about the Chicago White Sox bouncing back after celebrating clinching a playoff spot Thursday. — Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2026 Five of the six teams in the AL have been decided, with Tampa Bay and Cleveland clinching the top two seedings and the first-round bye. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026 The Padres tied the Chicago Cubs for the top wild-card spot in the National League at 86-69, a game ahead of Philadelphia, and reduced their magic number for clinching a playoff spot to three. — Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clinching
  1. deciding
  2. determining
  3. settling
Verb
  • Cautionary collections Another consideration when deciding what to do with all the leaves falls under the category of health and safety.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Roth conversions impact tax benefits When deciding on a Roth conversion, projections should include the current year's taxes, along with an analysis of future years, financial advisors say.
    — Kate Dore, CFP®, EA, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of deciding
Verb
  • The exact motive behind this particular campaign remains unclear because determining the next step would require engaging with the sender.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The discussion centered on how that tool might become part of a connected filmmaking process, with human direction and VFX expertise still determining how its images fit together.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of determining
Verb
  • Worthy settling in is an encouraging development for the Chiefs, especially with Rice potentially returning as soon as next week.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026
  • By 1968, Mitchell moved to Los Angeles, settling in Laurel Canyon, which was becoming a hub for singer-songwriters including David Crosby, Graham Nash and others.
    — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of settling

Browse Nearby Words

clinches
clinching
cling
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Cite this Entry

“Clinching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clinching. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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