clutched; clutching; clutches
1
: to grasp or hold with or as if with the hand or claws usually strongly, tightly, or suddenly
He clutched his chest and appeared to be in pain.
2
obsolete
: clench
1
: to seek to grasp and hold
clutched at her hand
2
: to operate an automobile clutch (see clutch entry 2 sense 2a)
1
a
: the claws or a hand in the act of grasping or seizing firmly
a rabbit in the clutch of a hawk
b
: an often cruel or unrelenting control, power, or possession
the fell clutch of circumstance—
W. E. Henley
W. E. Henley
c
: the act of grasping, holding, or restraining
2
a
: a coupling used to connect and disconnect a driving and a driven part (such as an engine and a transmission) of a mechanism
b
: a lever (such as a pedal) operating such a clutch
Depress the clutch to change gears.
3
: a tight or critical situation : pinch
come through in the clutch
4
1
: made or done in a crucial situation
a clutch hit
2
: successful in a crucial situation
a clutch pitcher
a clutch hitter
Synonyms
Verb
Noun (1)
- boiling point
- breaking point
- conjuncture
- crisis
- crossroad(s)
- crunch
- crunch time
- Dunkirk
- emergency
- exigency
- extremity
- flash point
- head
- juncture
- tinderbox
- zero hour
Noun (2)
Examples of clutch in a Sentence
Verb
I had to clutch the counter to keep from falling.
The child clutched her mother's hand firmly.
He had a book clutched in his hand.
Noun (1)
a football quarterback who always comes through in the clutch
a nation no longer living in the clutch of a cruel tyrant
Adjective
She scored a clutch basket.
Noun (2)
a clutch of medals adorned the general's chest
a clutch of people traveling together
Recent Examples on the Web
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
Olivier-winning Clarke is holding court in the center of the room while clutching a tiny portable fan, her purple braid swaying in its breeze.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 31 Oct. 2024
Ben Purvis, WIRED, 6 Aug. 2022
Jenkins was particularly clutch, making a three-pointer and dishing out four assists during a 17-3 St. John’s run immediately after Providence took its first lead of the night with under 15 minutes remaining.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2024
Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Crafted in Italy, the leather bag is delightfully versatile—it can be worn as a shoulder bag during the day or as a clutch at night.
—Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clutch 
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Verb
Suddenly, Stephen is a father again, tearfully clutching a crying boy, the one his son died to save.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
Olivier-winning Clarke is holding court in the center of the room while clutching a tiny portable fan, her purple braid swaying in its breeze.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
The key is familiar enough, but there’s no start button, clutch, or gear change.
—Ben Purvis, WIRED, 6 Aug. 2022
Jenkins was particularly clutch, making a three-pointer and dishing out four assists during a 17-3 St. John’s run immediately after Providence took its first lead of the night with under 15 minutes remaining.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2024
Noun
Pickford handed me a clutch of his father’s letters from 1954, relating to the sinking of the S.S.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Crafted in Italy, the leather bag is delightfully versatile—it can be worn as a shoulder bag during the day or as a clutch at night.
—Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for clutch
Dictionary Entries Near clutch
Cite this Entry
“Clutch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clutch. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clutch
2 of 4 noun1
a
: the claws or a hand in the act of grasping
b
: an often cruel or stern power or control
had the enemy in their clutches
2
: a device for gripping an object
3
a
: a coupling used to connect and disconnect a driving and a driven part in machinery
b
: a lever or pedal operating a clutch
4
: a tight or critical situation : pinch
he came through in the clutch
clutch
3 of 4 adjective
: done or doing well in a tight or critical situation
a clutch play
a clutch player
clutch
4 of 4 noun
: a nest or batch of eggs or a brood of chicks
Etymology
Verb
Old English clyccan "to grasp, hold"
Noun
altered form of dialect word cletch "a hatching, brood"
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