Clench vs. Clinch (Grammar Rules)
Learn when to use clench vs. clinch in your writing with Grammar Rules from the Writer’s Digest editors, including a few examples.
For today's post, let's look at a couple words that have (very) similar meanings, but which are definitely not the same (according to some sources). So let's get into it.
Clench vs. Clinch
Clench is a verb that means to hold or to close tightly. So a person's hand might clench a pen or a hundred dollar bill. Of course, it's used by some people to describe tightening (as in someone clenching their butt cheeks or fist). Funny enough, the first definition for "clench" in my desk dictionary was the word "clinch" (true story!), but...
Clinch is mostly used as a verb that means to make something final or to settle something. As in clinching a spot in the playoffs (if you're into sports) or clinching a decision (if you're into making decisions). Clinch can also be used as a verb that means to flatten the pointed end of a nail or screw or to hold a boxing opponent in close quarters. And clinch can also be used as a noun to represent a clinched nail or screw.
Here are a few examples of clench vs. clinch:
Correct: She clenched the telegram in her hand as she thought of her stranded lover.
Incorrect: She clinched the telegram in her hand as she thought of her stranded lover.
Correct: When the defendant didn't show for the hearing, it clinched the judge's decision in favor of the prosecution.
Incorrect: When the defendant didn't show for the hearing, it clenched the judge's decision in favor of the prosecution.
Correct: The Reds' fan clenched his fist as he watched the Cubs' clinch a spot in the playoffs yet again.
In a way, both words are used to tighten something, whether a thought or jawline. Clench tends to be a more physical grasping or tightening, while clinch tends to settle things that are up in the air.
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Sometimes, the best way to improve your writing is to go back to basics, to revisit the things you should have been paying attention to in your high school English classes (we won’t tell!). Whether you’re writing freelance articles for publications, editing your novel draft, or trying to write more professional emails, the Writer’s Digest Guide to Better Writing offers more than 50 techniques, strategies, and grammar rules with practical, real-world examples to help improve your writing.
