| ASCENDANT | Rising when American's ready, embracing and moving (9) |
| ENAMOUR | Charm a terrible old roue, embracing and uplifting the chap (7) |
| HUGGING | Embracing and chugging along after 100 Romans leave (7) |
| BUCK | American's ready to resist |
| CEMENT | American's ready, minimally, to embrace Brendan - it's hard stuff (6) |
| RETALIATE | Rising when expected, I subsequently hit back (9) |
| ESPLANADE | Walk when asleep and moving (9) |
| RESURGENT | Rising again and moving the tern's egg inside (9) |
| ELOQUENCE | Powerful and moving language (9) |
| RETRACING | Going back over one's footsteps, heading off distressed and moving fast (9) |
| GODFATHER | Good and moving death for mafia chief |
| ABOLITION | Wielding the axe, maybe, and moving on to alibi! |
| FALLACIES | Errors in reasoning, like slippery slope arguments and moving the goalposts |
| SNOWANGEL | Figure formed on winter days by lying on the ground and moving all four limbs: 2 wds. |
| FEBRUARY | It's the month when Americans celebrate love, presidents and Black history |
| ZIPCODES | Conclusions reached when Americans give address? (3,5) |
| INDEPENDENCEDAY | When Americans celebrate sci-fi film (12,3) |
| SUPERBOWLSUNDAY | When Americans consume over a billion chicken wings |
| DISTRIBUTE | Give out when Americans mock show of appreciation |
| COMEUP | Experience rising when seizure of power engulfs me |
