Clutch — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun adjective /ˈkləch/

Meaning & Definition of Clutch

Clutch (verb)

  1. to grasp or hold with or as if with the hand or claws usually strongly, tightly, or suddenly
  2. clench
  3. to seek to grasp and hold

Clutch (noun)

  1. the claws or a hand in the act of grasping or seizing firmly
  2. an often cruel or unrelenting control, power, or possession
  3. the act of grasping, holding, or restraining
  4. a nest of eggs or a brood of chicks
  5. group, bunch

Clutch (adjective)

  1. made or done in a crucial situation
  2. successful in a crucial situation

Clutch (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a number of things considered as a unit

    "a clutch of medals adorned the general's chest"

    similar: array, assemblage, band, bank, batch, battery, block, bunch, clot, clump, cluster, collection, constellation, group, grouping, huddle, knot, lot, muster, package, parcel, passel, set, suite, the whole kit and caboodle
    related: accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, conglomeration, agglomeration, assortment, hodgepodge, jumble, miscellany, mixture, odds and ends, sundries, variety, cycle, run, series, suit
    near: entity, item, single, unit

  2. a usually small number of persons considered as a unit

    "a clutch of people traveling together"

    similar: array, band, batch, battery, body, boodle, bunch, cluster, consort, constellation, crop, group, grouping, huddle, knot, lot, parcel, party, passel, the whole kit and caboodle
    related: assembly, collective, congregation, gathering, muster, organization, circle, clan, clique, coterie, fellowship, gang, ring, round, set, faction, guild, order, school, sect, brigade, crew, outfit, phalanx, platoon, posse, task force, team, alliance, bloc, coalition, confederacy, confederation, federation, league, union, battalion, squadron, bevy, brood, covey
    near: individual, single

  3. a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action

    "a football quarterback who always comes through in the clutch"

    similar: boiling point, breaking point, conjuncture, crisis, crossroad(s), crunch, crunch time, Dunkirk, emergency, exigency, extremity, flash point, head, juncture, tinderbox, zero hour, moment of truth, point of no return
    related: contingency, possibility, climax, turning point, happening, landmark, milestone, condition, pass, situation, strait, deadlock, impasse, stalemate, corner, fix, hole, hot water, jam, last ditch, pinch, predicament, scrape, spot, eleventh hour, last minute

  4. the right or means to command or control others

    "a nation no longer living in the clutch of a cruel tyrant"

    similar: arm, authority, command, control, death grip, dominion, grip, hold, mastery, power, reign, rein(s), sway
    related: clout, influence, leverage, pull, voice, weight, jurisdiction, direction, management, dominance, imperium, predominance, sovereignty, supremacy, prerogative, privilege, right, eminence, importance, moment
    opposite: impotence, impotency, powerlessness
    near: helplessness, weakness

Clutch (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to have or keep in one's hands

    "he clutched the eggs carefully so he wouldn't drop them"

    similar: clench, cling (to), grip, hold, hang on to, hold on to
    related: bear, carry, bag, capture, catch, collar, corral, grab, grapple, hook, land, latch (on or onto), nab, nail, seize, snap (up), snare, snatch, take, trap, feel, finger, handle, paw, clasp, embrace, grasp, hug, cradle
    near: drop, give, hand, unclasp, unhand, cede, deliver, give up, hand out, hand over, release, relinquish, render, turn over, yield

Related Entry: Clutch bag (noun)

Clutch bag is a different word from Clutch. The synonyms below are for clutch bag, not for clutch.

  1. as in clutch, minaudière

    similar: clutch, minaudière, bag, handbag, pocketbook, purse, billfold, wallet, compact, vanity, poke, pouch, sack, shoulder bag

Related Entry: Clutch bags (noun)

Clutch bags is a different word from Clutch. The synonyms below are for clutch bags, not for clutch.

  1. as in clutches, minaudières

    similar: clutches, minaudières, bags, handbags, pocketbooks, purses, billfolds, wallets, compacts, vanities, pokes, pouches, sacks, shoulder bags

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Clutch

The most common words with a similar meaning to Clutch:

array, assemblage, band, bank, batch, battery, block, bunch, clot, clump, cluster, collection, constellation, group, grouping, huddle, knot, lot, muster, package, parcel, passel, set, suite, body, boodle, consort, crop, party, the whole kit and caboodle, boiling point, breaking point, conjuncture, crisis, crossroad(s), crunch, crunch time, Dunkirk, emergency, exigency

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Clutch

Words with the opposite meaning of Clutch:

impotence, impotency, powerlessness

Related Words for Clutch

accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, conglomeration, agglomeration, assortment, hodgepodge, jumble, miscellany, mixture, odds and ends, sundries, variety, cycle, run, series, suit, assembly, collective, congregation, gathering, organization, circle, clan, clique, coterie, fellowship, gang, ring, round

Near Antonyms of Clutch

entity, item, single, unit, individual, helplessness, weakness, drop, give, hand, unclasp, unhand, cede, deliver, give up, hand out, hand over, release, relinquish, render, turn over, yield

Word Forms of Clutch

Inflections: clutched, clutching, clutches

Origin & Etymology of Clutch

Middle English clucchen, from Old English clyccan

First known use: before 12th centuryt

Words & Phrases Containing Clutch

clutch bag, double-clutch, friction clutch, in the clutch

Frequently Asked Questions about Clutch

What does "Clutch" mean?

"Clutch" means to grasp or hold with or as if with the hand or claws usually strongly, tightly, or suddenly. As an a verb, a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: to grasp or hold with or as if with the hand or claws usually strongly, tightly, or suddenly. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Clutch"?

Other words for "Clutch" include array, assemblage, band, bank, batch, battery, block and bunch. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Clutch" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Clutch"?

There are 196 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Clutch". Common alternatives include array, assemblage, band, bank, batch, battery, block, bunch, clot and clump.

What is the opposite of "Clutch"?

Antonyms of "Clutch" include impotence, impotency and powerlessness. Near antonyms include entity, item, single and unit.

How do you use "Clutch" in a sentence?

Examples of "Clutch" in a sentence: "a clutch of medals adorned the general's chest"; "a clutch of people traveling together"; "a football quarterback who always comes through in the clutch".

Is "Clutch" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Clutch" can be used as a verb, a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Clutch"?

"Clutch" is pronounced /ˈkləch/.

What is the origin of the word "Clutch"?

"Clutch" comes from Middle English clucchen, from Old English clyccan. First known use: before 12th centuryt.