grab

1 of 3

verb

ˈgrab 

grabbed; grabbing

transitive verb

1

: to take or seize by or as if by a sudden motion or grasp

grab up an ax

grabbed the opportunity

grab attention

2

: to take hastily

grab a bite to eat

grab a cab

3

a

: to seize the attention of

… the technique of grabbing an audience …

—Pauline Kael

b

: to impress favorably and deeply

4

: to obtain without consideration of what is right or wrong

grab public lands

intransitive verb

: to make a sudden snatch

grabber noun

grab

2 of 3

noun

1

a

: a sudden snatch

b

: an unlawful or unethical seizure

a grab for power

c

: something taken, seized, or grasped suddenly

2

chiefly British

a

: a device for clutching an object

b

: clamshell sense 2a

see also:

up for grabs

grab

3 of 3

adjective

1

: intended to be taken, seized, or grasped suddenly

a grab rail

2

: taken at random

grab samples of rocks

Synonyms of grab

Verb

• snatch
• seize
• catch
• get
• capture
• land
• snag

Noun

• theft
• snatching

Choose the Right Synonym for grab

take, seize, grasp, clutch, snatch, grab mean to get hold of by or as if by catching up with the hand.

take is a general term applicable to any manner of getting something into one's possession or control.

take some salad from the bowl

seize implies a sudden and forcible movement in getting hold of something tangible or an apprehending of something fleeting or elusive when intangible.

seized the suspect

grasp stresses a laying hold so as to have firmly in possession.

grasp the handle and pull

clutch suggests avidity or anxiety in seizing or grasping and may imply less success in holding.

clutching her purse

snatch suggests more suddenness or quickness but less force than seize.

snatched a doughnut and ran

grab implies more roughness or rudeness than snatch.

grabbed roughly by the arm

Examples of grab in a Sentence

Verb

I have to go back in the house and grab my car keys.

The little boy grabbed onto his mother's leg and wouldn't let go.

I'll grab a taxi and meet you there.

Let's grab a bite to eat before the movie starts.

The store had a lot of nice stuff, but nothing really grabbed me.

The play grabs the audience from the opening scene.

One player in particular has been grabbing a lot of attention lately.

Noun

a political activist who thinks the government's lease of public lands to logging companies amounts to an illegal land grab

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Guests can choose to grab a smoothie and pastry to go or enjoy a leisurely breakfast of bacon and egg sammys on brioche buns or a forest mushroom and goat cheese omelet. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Two teenage suspects, ages 14 and 15, allegedly grabbed a necklace from the victim’s neck after walking by them, according to police. — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Noun

Consumer spending has been strong, but inflation is up, the war with Iran has raised gas prices, the control of Congress is up for grabs in the midterm elections and AI seems intent on consuming nearly everybody’s bandwidth. — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026

Among adults 50 and older who expect to need home modifications, 72% anticipate bathroom changes like grab bars or non-slip tile, according to AARP. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 29 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb, Noun, and Adjective

obsolete Dutch or Low German grabben

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1581, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1c

Adjective

1608, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing grab

• cash grab
• grab a seat
• grab at/for
• grab bag
• grab/catch one's attention
• grab hold of
• grab the brass ring
• grab (the) headlines
• how does that grab you
• land grab
• make a grab for
• money grab
• smash-and-grab

Rhymes for grab

• ab
• cab
• crab
• dab
• drab
• fab
• gab
• jab
• lab
• mab
• nab
• rab

Kids Definition

grab

1 of 2 verb

ˈgrab 

grabbed; grabbing

: to take hastily : clutch, snatch

grabber noun

grab

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: a sudden snatch

b

: an unlawful or forceful taking of something

a land grab

c

: something grabbed

2

: a device for clutching an object