clench

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /klɛnt͡ʃ/ See IPA manual

Freq #29423

Meanings

1

verb
To close or press something tightly together, especially your hands or teeth.

He clenched his fist in anger.
2

verb
To hold something firmly and tightly.

She clenched the rope between her teeth as she climbed.
3

noun
A tight grip or grasp.

He felt the clench of her hand on his arm.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to hold something firmly... clinch grip

3 noun · a tight grip or grasp. clasp

More clutch

Opposites

unclench

Word family

Forms clenchedclenchesclenchingunclenched

Derived forms buttock-clenchingclench-builtclenchableclencherclenchpoopclenchtclinchreclench

Etymology

From Middle English clenchen, from Old English clenċan (“to clinch; hold fast”), a variant of Old English clenġan (“to adhere; remain”), from Proto-Germanic *klangijaną, causative of *klinganą (“to stick; adhere”). Related to cling.

clenchen Middle English clenċan Old English clenġan Old English *klangijaną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# clench

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /klɛnt͡ʃ/
**Frequency rank:** 29423

## Meanings
1. To close or press something tightly together, especially your hands or teeth.
2. To hold something firmly and tightly.
3. A tight grip or grasp.

## Examples
- He clenched his fist in anger.
- She clenched the rope between her teeth as she climbed.
- He felt the clench of her hand on his arm.

## Synonyms
- clasp
- clutch
- grip

## Antonyms
- unclench

## Derived Forms
- buttock-clenching
- clench-built
- clenchable
- clencher
- clenchpoop
- clencht
- clinch
- reclench

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: clenchen
- Root: clenċan
- Root: clenġan
- Root: *klangijaną

## Etymology
From Middle English clenchen, from Old English clenċan (“to clinch; hold fast”), a variant of Old English clenġan (“to adhere; remain”), from Proto-Germanic *klangijaną, causative of *klinganą (“to stick; adhere”). Related to cling.

## AI Etymology
Clench is from Middle English clenchen, from Old English clenċan (“to clinch; hold fast”), a variant of Old English clenġan (“to adhere; remain”), from Proto-Germanic *klangijaną, causative of *klinganą (“to stick; adhere”). Related to cling. In present-day use, it can mean to close or press something tightly together, especially your hands or teeth, or to hold something firmly and tightly. Derived formations include buttock-clenching, clench-built, clenchable, clencher, clenchpoop.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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