grasp for
phrasal verb
grasped for; grasping for; grasps for
: to try in a desperate or awkward way to get (something)
His sudden decision to quit the race has left his supporters grasping for explanations.
grasping for attention
Examples of grasp for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Jeffrey Epstein scandal has shut down Congress, triggered a revolt among Republicans, and left President Donald Trump grasping for distractions.
—
Gretchen Carlson, Time, 25 July 2025
Parsing the science After the Palisades fire blanketed the shoreline in debris — and led to widespread beach closures — surf camp and school operators grasped for information about the potential detrimental effects of the heavy metals and other substances spewed into the ocean.
—Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2025
Spawned in this fertile, blood-red soil of the South, this music has vined into the cities and countries where today’s frenetic, polluted environment grasps for something fresh, yet traditional.
—Joe Lynch, Billboard, 4 June 2025
And leaders lack visibility into where and why GTM motions are breaking down, so they’re left grasping for solutions that will appease boards and investors who are hungry for ROI.
—Anand Shah, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
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Gretchen Carlson, Time, 25 July 2025
Parsing the science After the Palisades fire blanketed the shoreline in debris — and led to widespread beach closures — surf camp and school operators grasped for information about the potential detrimental effects of the heavy metals and other substances spewed into the ocean.
—Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2025
Spawned in this fertile, blood-red soil of the South, this music has vined into the cities and countries where today’s frenetic, polluted environment grasps for something fresh, yet traditional.
—Joe Lynch, Billboard, 4 June 2025
And leaders lack visibility into where and why GTM motions are breaking down, so they’re left grasping for solutions that will appease boards and investors who are hungry for ROI.
—Anand Shah, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for grasp for
Cite this Entry
“Grasp for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grasp%20for. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.
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