cinched

verb

past tense of cinch
as in ensured
to make sure, certain, or safe the team's latest victory cinches a trip to the play-offs

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cinched Meanwhile, spanning New York to Milan, waists were cinched tighter, and shoes got even freakier, as consumers’ bodies and budgets continue to shrink. — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026 The rest of Lopez’s look included a matching long-sleeve brown top and pencil skirt cinched with a belt. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026 The couple wore matching suites, with Cameron’s cinched at the waist, featuring a white tie and draping cape, while David accessorized his ivory look with a silk scarf. — Janey Wetzel, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026 The sleeveless dress cinched at the waist before flaring out into a petal-like, peplum skirt with an asymmetrical finish. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 14 Sep. 2026 For instance, a very slender friend of ours had come to get one more hole punched in her belt by Susie and was now walking around chatting with people, her belt cinched nice and tight. — Lydia Davis, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026 The Cubs lost 10 in a row, but their postseason slot now looks almost cinched, barring unforeseen Cubbie-like occurrences. — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 The waist, for example, was cinched particularly tightly and emphasized in the 1940s and ’50s. — Kelly Niesen, Glamour, 24 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cinched
  1. ensured
  2. assured
  3. guaranteed
  4. secured
Verb
  • In a first vote of confidence towards ATO SpA in July, the Florence Court greenlit the lease of the e-tailer’s business operations to LVR Srl, a newco established and promoted by the same investors, which has ensured business continuity until now.
    — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The Postal Service has mostly ensured the timely delivery of hundreds of millions of ballots, even as mail volume overall has dropped 50% from its high in 2006.
    — Ken B. Morales, ProPublica, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of ensured
Verb
  • As had been anticipated, the Milwaukee Braves were assured of permission to take their game to Atlanta next season at a meeting of the National League here Thursday.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Documents released show health officials were still finding evidence of asbestos nearly 10 months after the attacks, even though government officials repeatedly assured New Yorkers the air around Ground Zero was safe to breathe.
    — Nicole Alarcon, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of assured
Verb
  • When the Brewers and Rays meet in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday, a first-time champion will be guaranteed.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Because Shirts is running unopposed, he’s guaranteed to be reelected to the same seat for a term starting in January.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of guaranteed
Verb
  • The defense contractor has secured a three-year agreement worth up to $60 million to advance the weapon through flight performance testing.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Roy was part of the team that secured a $17-billion settlement from Meta in a landmark case this year, and has tried many cases decided by judges, rather than jury panels.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of secured

Browse Nearby Words

cinch
cinched
cinches
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Cite this Entry

“Cinched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cinched. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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