Definition of clutch verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

clutch

verb

/klʌtʃ/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they clutch	/klʌtʃ/ /klʌtʃ/
he / she / it clutches	/ˈklʌtʃɪz/ /ˈklʌtʃɪz/
past simple clutched	/klʌtʃt/ /klʌtʃt/
past participle clutched	/klʌtʃt/ /klʌtʃt/
-ing form clutching	/ˈklʌtʃɪŋ/ /ˈklʌtʃɪŋ/

Idioms Phrasal Verbs

jump to other results

[transitive, intransitive] to hold somebody/something tightly synonym grip
- clutch somebody/something (+ adv./prep.) He clutched the child to him.
- She stood there, the flowers still clutched in her hand.
- + adv./prep. I clutched on to the chair for support.
Synonyms hold
holdhold on ▪ cling ▪ clutch ▪ grip ▪ grasp ▪ clasp ▪ hang onThese words all mean to have somebody/something in your hands or arms.
hold to have somebody/something in your hand or arms:
She was holding a large box.
I held the baby gently in my arms.
hold on (to somebody/something) to continue to hold somebody/something; to put your hand on somebody/something and not take your hand away:
Hold on and don’t let go until I say so.
cling to hold on to somebody/something tightly, especially with your whole body:
Survivors clung to pieces of floating debris.
clutch to hold somebody/something tightly, especially in your hand; to take hold of something suddenly:
She stood there, the flowers still clutched in her hand.
He felt himself slipping and clutched at a branch.
grip to hold on to something very tightly with your hand:
Grip the rope as tightly as you can.
grasp to take a strong hold of somebody/something:
He grasped my hand and shook it warmly.
The object of grasp is often somebody’s hand or wrist.clasp (formal) to hold somebody/something tightly in your hand or in your arms:
They clasped hands (= held each other’s hands).
She clasped the children in her arms.
The object of clasp is often your hands, somebody else’s hand or another person.hang on (to something) to hold on to something very tightly, especially in order to support yourself or stop yourself from falling:
Hang on tight. We’re off!
Patterns
- to hold/clutch/grip/clasp something in your hand/hands
- to hold/clutch/clasp somebody/something in your arms
- to hold/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp/hang on to something
- to hold/cling/hang on
- to hold/clutch/clasp somebody/something to you
- to hold/hold on to/cling to/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp/hang on to somebody/something tightly
- to hold/hold on to/cling to/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp somebody/something firmly
- to hold/hold on to/clutch/grip/clasp/hang on to somebody/something tight
Extra Examples
- She clutched her handbag tightly in one hand.
- She clutched the letter to her chest.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- firmly
- tightly
- desperately
- …
preposition
- at
phrases
- clutch something in your hand
- clutch something to your chest
See full entry
Definitions on the go

Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
[transitive, intransitive] to take hold of something suddenly, because you are afraid or in pain
- clutch something He gasped and clutched his stomach.
clutch at somebody/something
- (figurative) Fear clutched at her heart.
Synonyms hold
holdhold on ▪ cling ▪ clutch ▪ grip ▪ grasp ▪ clasp ▪ hang onThese words all mean to have somebody/something in your hands or arms.
hold to have somebody/something in your hand or arms:
She was holding a large box.
I held the baby gently in my arms.
hold on (to somebody/something) to continue to hold somebody/something; to put your hand on somebody/something and not take your hand away:
Hold on and don’t let go until I say so.
cling to hold on to somebody/something tightly, especially with your whole body:
Survivors clung to pieces of floating debris.
clutch to hold somebody/something tightly, especially in your hand; to take hold of something suddenly:
She stood there, the flowers still clutched in her hand.
He felt himself slipping and clutched at a branch.
grip to hold on to something very tightly with your hand:
Grip the rope as tightly as you can.
grasp to take a strong hold of somebody/something:
He grasped my hand and shook it warmly.
The object of grasp is often somebody’s hand or wrist.clasp (formal) to hold somebody/something tightly in your hand or in your arms:
They clasped hands (= held each other’s hands).
She clasped the children in her arms.
The object of clasp is often your hands, somebody else’s hand or another person.hang on (to something) to hold on to something very tightly, especially in order to support yourself or stop yourself from falling:
Hang on tight. We’re off!
Patterns
- to hold/clutch/grip/clasp something in your hand/hands
- to hold/clutch/clasp somebody/something in your arms
- to hold/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp/hang on to something
- to hold/cling/hang on
- to hold/clutch/clasp somebody/something to you
- to hold/hold on to/cling to/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp/hang on to somebody/something tightly
- to hold/hold on to/cling to/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp somebody/something firmly
- to hold/hold on to/clutch/grip/clasp/hang on to somebody/something tight
Extra Examples
- He fell back, clutching his chest in agony.
- Her hands clutched the railing.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- firmly
- tightly
- desperately
- …
preposition
- at
phrases
- clutch something in your hand
- clutch something to your chest
See full entry

Word Originverb Middle English (in the sense ‘bend, crook’): variant of obsolete clitch ‘close the hand’, from Old English clyccan ‘crook, clench’, of Germanic origin.

Idioms

clutch/grasp at straws

to try all possible means to find a solution or some hope in a difficult or unpleasant situation, even though this seems very unlikely
- I know I’m just clutching at straws here, but is it possible that the doctors are wrong?

See clutch in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

Check pronunciation: clutch

Other results

All matches

Phrasal verbs

clutch at something/somebody

Idioms

in the clutch

Nearby words

trait

noun

From the Word list

Oxford 5000

Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day