grasp at
phrasal verb
grasped at; grasping at; grasps at
: to try to take or get (something) in an eager or desperate way
They were ready to grasp at any possible solution.
He grasped at the opportunity to speak with her.
Examples of grasp at in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Harris appeared to be grasping at his leg.
—
James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
Nosrat grasped at the invitation like a lifeline.
—Dan Kois, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2025
Her left hand is scrabbling over the surface of the thin soil, grasping at dead leaves, something to wipe herself.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
And wrap it in a gorgeous (if somewhat twisted) album cover depicting a completely adorable baby underwater, grasping at a dollar bill on a fishhook?
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grasp at
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
Nosrat grasped at the invitation like a lifeline.
—Dan Kois, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2025
Her left hand is scrabbling over the surface of the thin soil, grasping at dead leaves, something to wipe herself.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
And wrap it in a gorgeous (if somewhat twisted) album cover depicting a completely adorable baby underwater, grasping at a dollar bill on a fishhook?
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grasp at
Cite this Entry
“Grasp at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grasp%20at. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share