Clench

/klɛntʃ/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A tight grip or hold.

He felt a clench of anxiety in his stomach before the interview.

The action of clenching something.

With a clench of her hand, she signaled him to stop.

verb

To close or hold tightly.

She had to clench her fists to keep from screaming.

To grip or grip tightly, especially with the muscles.

He clenched his jaw in frustration.

To press or squeeze firmly.

The dog began to clench the toy in its mouth.

Middle English clench, variant of clinch, possibly from Old English 'clincian' meaning to 'grasp'.

clench teeth

To bite down tightly, often due to stress or anger.

clench fist

To make a tight fist, often as a sign of anger or determination.

clench your stomach

To tighten the abdominal muscles, often in response to stress.

clutch

To grasp or seize something tightly.

grip

To seize or hold fast.

To be very tense or anxious.

I'm really clenched about this exam.

Describing a close, tight situation.

That last play was so clenched, I could hardly breathe!