clutched

verb

past tense of clutch
as in clenched
to have or keep in one's hands he clutched the eggs carefully so he wouldn't drop them

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 clutched In a first round that portended a lengthy and bloody fight, the Dodgers clutched to a 1-0 lead after three innings with ace Tarik Skubal on the mound and Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski headed for the showers. — Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 While in front of a judge, Siders, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, kept shielding her stomach and clutched her belly, The Daily Mail reported. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2026 Of flagging down the truck, crumpled bills clutched in my fist, and–voilà—a pristine Strawberry Shortcake bar materializing in my sticky little hands. — Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 16 Sep. 2026 Groups of screaming preschoolers pass by us in the park, fists clutched tight onto their walking ropes, chubby hands waving hello or pointing to squirrels scampering in their path. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026 Proportion play is also part of the equation, as Gap experiments with Mini sizes meant to be clutched in the palm of your hand or slung over your torso. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026 For decades, sweaty hands clutched the ridged yellow wood on test day. — ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026 Dian Weys’ drama Vultures clutched top honors at HollyShorts Sunday evening, winning the prestigious festival’s Grand Jury Prize for Best Short Film. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 23 Aug. 2026 Throughout his wanderings, the uxorious Odysseus clings to a little doll figure, intended to represent his wife (like the spinning top clutched by Leonardo DiCaprio in 'Inception'); the real woman is barely more interesting. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 28 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clutched
  1. clenched
  2. gripped
  3. held
  4. grabbed
Verb
  • Parents rushing to a reunification center, hearts clenched with the hope of finding their children among the survivors.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • All of the grandeur and energy of Pollock’s looping brambles and cords are clenched in Krasner’s versions.
    — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of clenched
Verb
  • On the microphone, his promos conveyed a no-nonsense intensity that equally gripped viewers.
    — Rudy Chinchilla, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Hundreds of mourners later gathered at Rehman Baba cemetery for mass funeral prayers as grief gripped the neighborhood and announcements echoed from mosque loudspeakers, urging residents to join in prayers for those killed.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of gripped
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
Definition of held
Verb
  • The little girl would later tell officers that her brother grabbed the knife and threw it at her, the blade hitting her chest.
    — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Fitzgerald then allegedly grabbed her arm and tried to pull her toward him.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of grabbed

Browse Nearby Words

clutch bags
clutched
clutches
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Cite this Entry

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

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