clincher
Americannoun
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a person or thing that clinches.
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a statement, argument, fact, situation, or the like, that is decisive or conclusive.
The heat was the clincher that made us decide to leave the city.
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a nail, screw, etc., for clinching.
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Automotive. a clincher tire.
noun
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informal something decisive, such as a fact, score, etc
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a person or thing that clinches
Etymology
Origin of clincher
1485–95; variant of Middle English clencher ( clench + -er 1 )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In Wednesday’s clincher, he hit third in Milwaukee’s lineup.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
"That was the real clincher for this system," Householder says.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026
In 1998, Mariano Rivera got the final four outs of the clincher.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
As for that tiny point guard: With 45 points in the championship clincher, Brunson didn’t just win Finals MVP.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
“Your clincher clue was waddle? That seems to work,” Wilder responded.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
