Clutches — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun phrase /ˈkləch/ (verb) /ˌdə-bəl-ˈkləch/ (verb)

Meaning & Definition of Clutches

Clutches (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
  4. to shift gears in an automotive vehicle by shifting into neutral and pumping the clutch before shifting to another gear

Clutches (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
  6. a clutch in which connection is made through sliding friction

Clutches (phrase)

  1. in someone's or something's claws —often used figuratively to indicate control over someone

Clutches (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a number of things considered as a unit

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

    similar: arrays, assemblages, bands, banks, batches, batteries, blocks, bunches, clots, clumps, clusters, collections, constellations, groupings, groups, huddles, knots, lots, musters, packages, parcels, passels, sets, suites, the whole kit and caboodle
    related: accumulations, aggregates, aggregations, conglomerations, agglomerations, assortments, hodgepodges, jumbles, miscellanies, mixtures, odds and ends, sundries, varieties, cycles, runs, series, suits
    near: entities, items, singles, units

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

    "a clutch of people traveling together"

    similar: arrays, bands, batches, batteries, bodies, boodles, bunches, clusters, consorts, constellations, crops, groupings, groups, huddles, knots, lots, parcels, parties, passels, the whole kit and caboodle
    related: assemblies, collectives, congregations, gatherings, musters, organizations, circles, clans, cliques, coteries, fellowships, gangs, rings, rounds, sets, factions, guilds, orders, schools, sects, brigades, crews, outfits, phalanxes, platoons, posses, task forces, teams, alliances, blocs, coalitions, confederacies, confederations, federations, leagues, unions, battalions, squadrons, bevies, broods, coveys
    near: individuals, singles

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

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

    similar: boiling points, breaking points, conjunctures, crises, crossroads, crunches, crunch times, Dunkirks, emergencies, exigencies, extremities, flash points, heads, junctures, tinderboxes, zero hours, moments of truth, points of no return
    related: contingencies, possibilities, climaxes, turning points, happenings, landmarks, milestones, conditions, passes, situations, straits, deadlocks, impasses, stalemates, corners, fixes, holes, hot waters, jams, last ditches, pinches, predicaments, scrapes, spots, eleventh hours, last minutes

  4. the right or means to command or control others

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

    similar: arms, authorities, commands, controls, death grips, dominions, grips, holds, masteries, powers, reigns, reins, sways
    related: clouts, influences, leverages, pulls, voices, weights, jurisdictions, directions, managements, dominances, imperiums, predominances, sovereignties, supremacies, prerogatives, privileges, rights, eminences, importances, moments
    opposite: impotences, impotencies
    near: weaknesses

Clutches (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: clenches, clings (to), grips, holds, hangs on to, holds on to
    related: bears, carries, bags, captures, catches, collars, corrals, grabs, grapples, hooks, lands, latches (on or onto), nabs, nails, seizes, snaps (up), snares, snatches, takes, traps, feels, fingers, handles, paws, clasps, embraces, grasps, hugs, cradles
    near: drops, gives, hands, unclasps, unhands, cedes, delivers, gives up, hands out, hands over, releases, relinquishes, renders, turns over, yields

Related Entry: Clutch (noun)

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

  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

Related Entry: Clutch (noun)

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

  1. 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

  2. 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

Related Entry: Clutch (verb)

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

  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

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Clutches

The most common words with a similar meaning to Clutches:

arrays, assemblages, bands, banks, batches, batteries, blocks, bunches, clots, clumps, clusters, collections, constellations, groupings, groups, huddles, knots, lots, musters, packages, parcels, passels, sets, suites, bodies, boodles, consorts, crops, parties, the whole kit and caboodle, boiling points, breaking points, conjunctures, crises, crossroads, crunches, crunch times, Dunkirks, emergencies, exigencies

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Clutches

Words with the opposite meaning of Clutches:

impotences, impotencies

Related Words for Clutches

accumulations, aggregates, aggregations, conglomerations, agglomerations, assortments, hodgepodges, jumbles, miscellanies, mixtures, odds and ends, sundries, varieties, cycles, runs, series, suits, assemblies, collectives, congregations, gatherings, organizations, circles, clans, cliques, coteries, fellowships, gangs, rings, rounds

Near Antonyms of Clutches

entities, items, singles, units, individuals, weaknesses, drops, gives, hands, unclasps, unhands, cedes, delivers, gives up, hands out, hands over, releases, relinquishes, renders, turns over, yields

Word Forms of Clutches

Inflections: clutched, clutching, double-clutched, double-clutching, double-clutches

Origin & Etymology of Clutches

Middle English clucchen, from Old English clyccan

First known use: before 12th centuryt

Words & Phrases Containing Clutches

in someone's or something's clutches

Frequently Asked Questions about Clutches

What does "Clutches" mean?

"Clutches" 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 a phrase, 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 "Clutches"?

Other words for "Clutches" include arrays, assemblages, bands, banks, batches, batteries, blocks and bunches. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Clutches" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Clutches"?

There are 196 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Clutches". Common alternatives include arrays, assemblages, bands, banks, batches, batteries, blocks, bunches, clots and clumps.

What is the opposite of "Clutches"?

Antonyms of "Clutches" include impotences and impotencies. Near antonyms include entities, items, singles and units.

How do you use "Clutches" in a sentence?

Examples of "Clutches" 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 "Clutches" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Clutches" can be used as a verb, a noun and a phrase, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Clutches"?

"Clutches" is pronounced /ˈkləch/ as a verb and /ˌdə-bəl-ˈkləch/ as a verb.

What is the origin of the word "Clutches"?

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