clench
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Faces clench before pivotal moments of conflict on stage.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
I get up there, I’m like, smile, don’t look like you’re shaking inside, pop the hip, float your arm down, don’t clench your hand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
"One of my most frequent tics is I clench my stomach and that makes me inhale air, which means that I'm constantly bloated," Smith says.
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2026
Introduced to Stallone and his family, the Pope said how much he enjoyed the actor's films, prompting a smiling Stallone to clench his fists as if ready to spar, saying, "Ready, we box."
From Reuters ● Sep. 8, 2023
The throbbing in my head was so brutal, I had to clench my teeth to keep from getting sick all over myself.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
Somatic workout classes, characterized by minuscule clenches and releases, have exploded in popularity as an antidote to high-intensity exercise.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026
It’s like the face that Dorothy makes when she clenches her eyes shut and clicks her ruby red slippers to transport herself home.
From Slate ● May 12, 2024
Mercy clenches her hands and she thumps the table as she agrees.
From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2023
I get tense, and my jaw clenches as I make pathetic flink sounds instead of the solid whunk that results when your hammer really connects.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 28, 2022
Looking up at him, I see his chest inflates and exhales deeply, and his jaw is square as he clenches his teeth.
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
When our instructor, Master Kim, paired us together for partner drills, I clenched my teeth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
No wonder Jaissle clenched his fists on the touchline after Hornicek got a strong hand behind Jan Paul van Hecke's header.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
He plans to stay in Miami until Scotland knows its fate, and to pass the time in a much more pleasant way than watching other teams with clenched teeth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
She celebrated with a clenched fist after a ferocious smash secured a break for a 4-1 lead.
From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026
My throat tightened into a pinhole, and an involuntary choking sound escaped my clenched teeth.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
About 40 units are needed for the masseter muscles to help soothe teeth clenching.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 1, 2026
The 66-year-old says he instantly recognised the jaws clenching onto his leg as those of a bull shark.
From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2026
Gardner’s on antianxiety drugs to help him function, and he’s started wearing a mouthguard at night because he’s been clenching his teeth in his sleep.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 18, 2025
They’re clenching their fists while they’re watching this keynote.
From New York Times ● Jun. 14, 2024
One of the onlookers, who had been clenching his teeth to suppress hot speech, now spoke up:—
From "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London
Vocabulary lists containing clench
"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" by Rudyard Kipling
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Ender's Game
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Inside Out & Back Again
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