clenched; clenching; clenches
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
Certain SSRIs, SNRIs and tricyclic antidepressants have been linked with grinding and clenching the teeth, Schultz says.
—
Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 1 June 2025
No discomfort arises from keeping the mouth clenched on a snorkel mouthpiece, and often, this type of mask will not fog as readily.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 20 May 2025
Nat Phillips’ celebrations — mid-air and fists clenched — late in the 1-0 win away to Hull seven days earlier spoke of a mood transformed after much of the campaign had been spent fearing an immediate return to League One.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Caffeine can also interfere with saliva production and cause an increase in nighttime teeth clenching and grinding, Sandip Sachar, DDS, a New York City dentist with Sachar Dental NYC, told Health.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for clench
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 1 June 2025
No discomfort arises from keeping the mouth clenched on a snorkel mouthpiece, and often, this type of mask will not fog as readily.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 20 May 2025
Nat Phillips’ celebrations — mid-air and fists clenched — late in the 1-0 win away to Hull seven days earlier spoke of a mood transformed after much of the campaign had been spent fearing an immediate return to League One.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Caffeine can also interfere with saliva production and cause an increase in nighttime teeth clenching and grinding, Sandip Sachar, DDS, a New York City dentist with Sachar Dental NYC, told Health.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for clench
Cite this Entry
“Clench.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clench. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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