grasped; grasping; grasps
: to make the motion of seizing : clutch
grasping for support
1
: to take or seize eagerly
grasp the opportunity for advancement
2
: to clasp or embrace especially with the fingers or arms
grasped the pen and began writing
3
: to lay hold of with the mind : comprehend
failed to grasp the danger of the situation
grasper
noun
3
a
: the reach of the arms
The books on the top shelf were beyond my grasp.
b
: the power of seizing and holding or attaining
success lay within their grasp
4
: mental hold or comprehension especially when broad
a remarkable grasp of the subject
Synonyms
Examples of grasp in a Sentence
Verb
I grasped the end of the rope and pulled as hard as I could.
I grasped the rope by its end.
His arthritis is so bad he can barely grasp a pencil.
Noun
The author shows a weak grasp of military strategy.
The books on the top shelf are just beyond my grasp.
She moved the toy to within the baby's grasp.
She felt the solution was within her grasp.
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Recent Examples on the Web
V.m. Braganza, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Sep. 2023
At many universities, engineering and biology majors are struggling to grasp fractions and exponents.
—Collin Binkley, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Aug. 2023
This new specimen was nearly complete, which enabled the team to identify the six segments that made up its body: the head, a second segment with its grasping limbs, and the other four segments which have a pair of jointed limbs.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 30 Aug. 2023
Finance chiefs are scrambling to grasp the wide-ranging implications of introducing generative artificial intelligence into their accounting operations in an effort to boost productivity and maintain an edge over rivals.
—Mark Maurer, WSJ, 1 Sep. 2023
More than two years later, Bobbie Gilbert struggles to grasp her brother’s death.
—Zaeem Shaikh, Dallas News, 31 Aug. 2023
Typically, kids between the ages of 3 to 5 don’t grasp that death is permanent.
—Allison Landa, Parents, 30 Aug. 2023
Over the years, experts say, the pendulum has swung between procedural learning, such as teaching kids to memorize how to solve problems step-by-step, and conceptual understanding, in which students grasp underlying math relationships, sometimes making these discoveries on their own.
—Ariel Gilreath, al, 29 Aug. 2023
What Burna seems not to grasp is that most of the criticisms thrown his way aren’t attacks.
—Nelson C.j., Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2023
Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, 14 Sep. 2023
To get a better grasp of vocal learning and cognition, the study authors turned to songbirds.
—Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Popular Science, 14 Sep. 2023
Baker and her director, the superb and unshowy James Macdonald, share a grasp of tempo and dynamic so assured and expertly patient that your heartbeat at the end of Infinite Life’s intermission-less hour and three-quarters may well belie the fact that no one onstage has ever raised their voice.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2023
Most of the issues that plagued Alabama against Texas, Saban said, were fixable like limiting penalties and having a better grasp of coverage assignments in the secondary.
—Nick Alvarez | Nalvarez@al.com, al, 11 Sep. 2023
Paris’s work is distinguished by his marvelous graphic sensibility, his ability to enhance a look through a process of reduction and balance and an inherent grasp of the concept of ma (a Japanese notion of negative space).
—Vogue, 8 Sep. 2023
There’s an art to bringing vitality and modernity to historical drama, and Arcel shows a firm grasp of it.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Sep. 2023
Baidu says its service stands out because of its advanced grasp of Chinese queries, as well as its ability to generate different types of responses, such as text, images, audio and video.
—Michelle Toh, CNN, 31 Aug. 2023
Hodges further wants to redesign the city’s website and establish a media liaison specialist whose job would be to disseminate information across a wide variety of social media platforms to ensure residents have a better grasp of what actions the city is considering and why.
—Mark Eddington, The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Aug. 2023
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Verb
In the tale, the angelic Margery’s impoverished father is relentlessly persecuted for his debts by two grasping loan sharks named Sir Gripe and Farmer Graspall.
—V.m. Braganza, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Sep. 2023
At many universities, engineering and biology majors are struggling to grasp fractions and exponents.
—Collin Binkley, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Aug. 2023
This new specimen was nearly complete, which enabled the team to identify the six segments that made up its body: the head, a second segment with its grasping limbs, and the other four segments which have a pair of jointed limbs.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 30 Aug. 2023
Finance chiefs are scrambling to grasp the wide-ranging implications of introducing generative artificial intelligence into their accounting operations in an effort to boost productivity and maintain an edge over rivals.
—Mark Maurer, WSJ, 1 Sep. 2023
More than two years later, Bobbie Gilbert struggles to grasp her brother’s death.
—Zaeem Shaikh, Dallas News, 31 Aug. 2023
Typically, kids between the ages of 3 to 5 don’t grasp that death is permanent.
—Allison Landa, Parents, 30 Aug. 2023
Over the years, experts say, the pendulum has swung between procedural learning, such as teaching kids to memorize how to solve problems step-by-step, and conceptual understanding, in which students grasp underlying math relationships, sometimes making these discoveries on their own.
—Ariel Gilreath, al, 29 Aug. 2023
What Burna seems not to grasp is that most of the criticisms thrown his way aren’t attacks.
—Nelson C.j., Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2023
Noun
This grasp will help public health experts better implement the best substance use disorder treatments and overdose prevention tools as things evolve.
—Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, 14 Sep. 2023
To get a better grasp of vocal learning and cognition, the study authors turned to songbirds.
—Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Popular Science, 14 Sep. 2023
Baker and her director, the superb and unshowy James Macdonald, share a grasp of tempo and dynamic so assured and expertly patient that your heartbeat at the end of Infinite Life’s intermission-less hour and three-quarters may well belie the fact that no one onstage has ever raised their voice.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2023
Most of the issues that plagued Alabama against Texas, Saban said, were fixable like limiting penalties and having a better grasp of coverage assignments in the secondary.
—Nick Alvarez | Nalvarez@al.com, al, 11 Sep. 2023
Paris’s work is distinguished by his marvelous graphic sensibility, his ability to enhance a look through a process of reduction and balance and an inherent grasp of the concept of ma (a Japanese notion of negative space).
—Vogue, 8 Sep. 2023
There’s an art to bringing vitality and modernity to historical drama, and Arcel shows a firm grasp of it.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Sep. 2023
Baidu says its service stands out because of its advanced grasp of Chinese queries, as well as its ability to generate different types of responses, such as text, images, audio and video.
—Michelle Toh, CNN, 31 Aug. 2023
Hodges further wants to redesign the city’s website and establish a media liaison specialist whose job would be to disseminate information across a wide variety of social media platforms to ensure residents have a better grasp of what actions the city is considering and why.
—Mark Eddington, The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Aug. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grasp.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb and Noun
Middle English graspen
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Noun
1561, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of grasp was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing grasp
Dictionary Entries Near grasp
Cite this Entry
“Grasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grasp. Accessed 23 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
grasp
1 of 2 verb1
: to make the motion of seizing : clutch
grasp at straws
2
: to clasp or embrace with or as if with the fingers or arms
3
: to lay hold of with the mind : comprehend
failed to grasp its importance
grasper
noun
grasp
2 of 2 noun1
2
: control entry 2 sense 1, hold
land in the grasp of a tyrant
3
a
: the reach of the arms
the tree limb was beyond my grasp
b
: the power of seizing and holding
success lies within their grasp
More from Merriam-Webster on grasp
Nglish: Translation of grasp for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of grasp for Arabic Speakers
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