MEANING
To loosen something that is held tightly closed, especially a fist, jaw, or muscle.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- unclench a fist
- unclench your jaw
On the page
At the sound of her daughter's voice, she finally unclenched her jaw.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- unclench
- Past tense
- unclenched
- Past participle
- unclenched
- Present participle
- unclenching
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- unclench
- Present continuous
- am/is/are unclenching
- Present perfect
- have/has unclenched
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been unclenching
- Past
- unclenched
- Past continuous
- was/were unclenching
- Past perfect
- had unclenched
- Past perfect continuous
- had been unclenching
- Future
- will unclench
- Future continuous
- will be unclenching
- Future perfect
- will have unclenched
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been unclenching
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: unclench; unclenches; unclenched; unclenched; unclenching. Writing functions: body language, character, description. Commonness: moderately common. Established English; not a separately counted inflection.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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