grasp

1 of 2

verb

grasped; grasping; grasps

intransitive verb

: to make the motion of seizing : clutch
grasping for support

transitive verb

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
graspable adjective
grasper noun

grasp

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: handle
b
2
: hold, control
kept a firm grasp on the rope
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
Phrases
grasp at straws
: to reach for or try anything in desperation
grasp the nettle
: to act boldly
Choose the Right Synonym for grasp

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 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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
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 See More

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

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.

Kids Definition

grasp

1 of 2 verb
1
: 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
graspable adjective
grasper noun

grasp

2 of 2 noun
1
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
4

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