clutch

verb · noun · adjective

Simple meaning

To grip or grasp tightly.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

kluhch

US device voice

IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈklʌtʃ

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

verb

transitive
To grip or grasp tightly.
transitive
To seize, as though with claws.
video games
To win despite being the only remaining player on one's team, against several opponents.
transitive
To hatch.

noun

A small handbag or purse with no straps or handle.
A device to interrupt power transmission, commonly used to separate the engine and gearbox in a car.
The pedal in a car that disengages power and torque transmission from the engine (through the drivetrain) to the drive wheels.
A difficult maneuver.
US
A tense critical situation
“He is a good man in the clutch.”
us
An important or critical situation.

adjective

uscanada
Performing or tending to perform well in difficult, high-pressure situations.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty: B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency: Moderately Common
Typical Use: Neutral / general English

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: To grip or grasp tightly.

Used this way, clutch is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone: Neutral
Formality: Neutral
Intensity: Not strongly marked
How common: Moderately common
Connotation: No strong connotation
Usage feel: Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use clutch

“She clutched my arm when she got scared.”verb
“He is a good man in the clutch.”noun
“This year's model has an improved clutch.”noun

Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

clutch pedalcone clutchclutch sizeclutch housingclutch assemblydisc clutchplate clutch

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Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Inflected forms

Grammatical variations of the same word.

clutchesnounPlural form
The act of grasping.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

clutch bagnounCompound term
A woman's strapless purse that is carried in the hand.
clutch pedalnounCompound term
A pedal or lever that engages or disengages a rotating shaft and a driving mechanism.
cone clutchnounCompound term
A friction clutch in which the frictional surfaces are cone-shaped.
cone friction clutchnounCompound term
A friction clutch in which the frictional surfaces are cone-shaped.
disk clutchnounCompound term
A friction clutch in which the frictional surfaces are disks.
friction clutchnounCompound term
A clutch in which one part turns the other by the friction between them.

More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin

Synonyms

Sense: to grip or grasp tightly

holdclench

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.