reach for
phrasal verb
reached for; reaching for; reaches for
1
: to move one's hand in order to get or touch (someone or something)
She reached for the salt and pepper.
He reached into his pocket for a dime.
2
: to try hard to achieve or succeed at (something)
Success won't come to you, you have to reach for it.
Examples of reach for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Becerra could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.
—
Mona Darwish, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
An InStyle writer, 29, and her mom, 61, still reach for it for foolproof coverage that doesn’t budge.
—Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 22 Jan. 2026
Minnesota remains a reach for Republicans, though there are tough Democratic primaries there and in Michigan.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Officers then order the suspect not to reach for the gun.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reach for
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Mona Darwish, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
An InStyle writer, 29, and her mom, 61, still reach for it for foolproof coverage that doesn’t budge.
—Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 22 Jan. 2026
Minnesota remains a reach for Republicans, though there are tough Democratic primaries there and in Michigan.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Officers then order the suspect not to reach for the gun.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reach for
Cite this Entry
“Reach for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reach%20for. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
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