grab at/for
phrasal verb
grabbed at/for; grabbing at/for; grabs at/for
: to quickly stretch out one's hand and try to touch or hold (something or someone)
People were grabbing at her as she walked through the crowd.
He grabbed for the ball and missed.
—often used figurativelyWe grabbed at the chance to go.
political parties grabbing for power
Examples of grab at/for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The girls were screaming and crying and trying to grab at him.
—
Cindy Shmerler, New York Times, 24 May 2024
The movie budget was $600 This latest project isn't a cash grab for Gray but rather a way to show his ability to turn around a film in a short period of time.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Mar. 2024
But so much can get lost when the sole approach is to find the snappiest topical takeaway in a clear grab for attention.
—Tajja Isen, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2024
Instead of a revolution, the week turned into a large-scale grab for goods.
—Sisonke Msimang, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2021
Ren Faire, from Some Kind of Heaven and Spermworld filmmaker Lance Oppenheim, is a three-part dive into the power grab at the heart of the Texas Renaissance Faire as 85-year-old Coulam looks to step down and name his successor.
—Lucy Ford, TIME, 23 May 2024
The horror is in that grab at control, not the game.
—Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 12 May 2024
In The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972), Epper and her two sisters, Margo and Stephanie, played slimy hookers who grab at and then beat up Paul Newman.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 May 2024
The lawsuit accuses its East Bay competitor of trademark infringement as part of a grab for more air traffic.
—Joe Mathews, The Mercury News, 3 May 2024
Cindy Shmerler, New York Times, 24 May 2024
The movie budget was $600 This latest project isn't a cash grab for Gray but rather a way to show his ability to turn around a film in a short period of time.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Mar. 2024
But so much can get lost when the sole approach is to find the snappiest topical takeaway in a clear grab for attention.
—Tajja Isen, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2024
Instead of a revolution, the week turned into a large-scale grab for goods.
—Sisonke Msimang, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2021
Ren Faire, from Some Kind of Heaven and Spermworld filmmaker Lance Oppenheim, is a three-part dive into the power grab at the heart of the Texas Renaissance Faire as 85-year-old Coulam looks to step down and name his successor.
—Lucy Ford, TIME, 23 May 2024
The horror is in that grab at control, not the game.
—Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 12 May 2024
In The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972), Epper and her two sisters, Margo and Stephanie, played slimy hookers who grab at and then beat up Paul Newman.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 May 2024
The lawsuit accuses its East Bay competitor of trademark infringement as part of a grab for more air traffic.
—Joe Mathews, The Mercury News, 3 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grab at/for.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near grab at/for
Cite this Entry
“Grab at/for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grab%20at%2Ffor. Accessed 16 Jun. 2024.
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