1. past tense and past participle of clutch; held tightly or grasped firmly

Examples

• She clutched her purse tightly as she walked through the crowd.
• He clutched the railing when he felt dizzy.
• The child clutched his mother’s hand crossing the street.
• She clutched the letter to her chest after reading the good news.
• The driver clutched the steering wheel during the storm.
• He clutched his chest and gasped for air.
• The frightened cat clutched onto the tree branch.