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

And some Americans—particularly younger generations—have been desperate to break into the housing market, grasping for long-term financial stability and the same security their parents and grandparents earned by buying a home. —Sydney Lake, Fortune, 9 Dec. 2025

Devastated families are grasping for answers after the birthday party mass shooting in Stockton on Saturday night that left four people dead, including three children. —Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 1 Dec. 2025

The grasping for straws was all for naught, though, because Zendaya actually does eventually agree to be in Mimi’s video. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 9 Nov. 2025

The underwater clues that researchers are grasping for in this effort are invisible, almost ephemeral, but hold promise just the same. —Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for grasp for

• abhor
• abor
• adore
• afore
• ardour
• ashore
• backdoor
• before
• bookstore
• candour
• centaur
• claymore