as in seizes
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
don't grab my arm like that
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Recent Examples of grabs
Greg Rosenstein, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
After lowering the helicopter to the water's surface, a flight crew member grabs the dog and hauls the pet aboard.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
The shotmaking grabs you first, and so does the confidence.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
Whoever grabs the second slot will unify all the unions against Shaw.
—John Seiler, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2026
Some of our testers say the effect borders on falsies, thanks to an oversized brush that’s surprisingly easy to maneuver and grabs onto every lash.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 28 Mar. 2026
Chibale grabs a chemistry book off the shelf in his office and riffles through a parade of molecules — each one like an old friend.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 22 Mar. 2026
There are some broadly entertaining yet scattershot series of betrayals, shootouts, car chases (and subsequent crashes), though little that actually raises the pulse or grabs your emotions.
—Chase Hutchinson, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
San Francisco's new manager grabs a piece of gum from a dugout basket then heads out onto the grass at Scottsdale Stadium and gets to work.
—CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
By the tournament’s final night, one spot remained up for grabs.
—Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026
No 4 or 5-star grabs for the Phils RF in all of 2025, got one in the first series of 2026.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
This year, Republicans are defending a 53 seat majority in the Senate, with 35 seats up for grabs.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Here are more than 600 acres up for grabs.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
Ezukanma has also been hard to matchup with during one-on-ones and had a few nice grabs during team drills.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Mar. 2026
The doors have reopened at the former DoubleTree in Plymouth Meeting for a public liquidation sale, where nearly everything inside the seven-story building is up for grabs.
—Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Four candidates will be on the ballot, with three spots up for grabs out of the eight available.
—Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
Tomislav Ivišić grabs a rebound against Houston in last weekend's Sweet 16.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
After lowering the helicopter to the water's surface, a flight crew member grabs the dog and hauls the pet aboard.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
The shotmaking grabs you first, and so does the confidence.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
Whoever grabs the second slot will unify all the unions against Shaw.
—John Seiler, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2026
Some of our testers say the effect borders on falsies, thanks to an oversized brush that’s surprisingly easy to maneuver and grabs onto every lash.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 28 Mar. 2026
Chibale grabs a chemistry book off the shelf in his office and riffles through a parade of molecules — each one like an old friend.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 22 Mar. 2026
There are some broadly entertaining yet scattershot series of betrayals, shootouts, car chases (and subsequent crashes), though little that actually raises the pulse or grabs your emotions.
—Chase Hutchinson, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
San Francisco's new manager grabs a piece of gum from a dugout basket then heads out onto the grass at Scottsdale Stadium and gets to work.
—CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
Ciere Boatright, Johnson’s Department of Planning and Development commissioner, said the up-for-grabs inventory is the largest since the vacant lot sale program began in 2022.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
By the tournament’s final night, one spot remained up for grabs.
—Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026
No 4 or 5-star grabs for the Phils RF in all of 2025, got one in the first series of 2026.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
This year, Republicans are defending a 53 seat majority in the Senate, with 35 seats up for grabs.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Here are more than 600 acres up for grabs.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
Ezukanma has also been hard to matchup with during one-on-ones and had a few nice grabs during team drills.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Mar. 2026
The doors have reopened at the former DoubleTree in Plymouth Meeting for a public liquidation sale, where nearly everything inside the seven-story building is up for grabs.
—Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Four candidates will be on the ballot, with three spots up for grabs out of the eight available.
—Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grabs
Verb
-
Earnest and intersectional, the spoken word artist’s debut solo album seizes upon the power of club music to preach about gender equality, personal transformation, and communal uplift.—
Jesse Dorris,
Pitchfork,
25 Mar. 2026
-
So, when Ozzie (Kyle Bary), a former child star, finds himself in a heap of trouble, Jax seizes the opportunity to spice up her daily routine.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
One of the latest Minneapolis car thefts presented a nightmare for a mom, watching as a stranger drove away with her 3-month-old baby still in the vehicle.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Police in late March warned of a string of vehicle thefts across the Loop and South Loop.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Cinematographer Tim Ives snatches his rare opportunities to shoot the beautiful scenery, but most of the pair’s encounters take place in or near Ledger’s orange pickup truck, a totem from the book.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
There’s much for delight, but the drama lost steam in a confusing episode near the end, when a Snake (portrayed by Abrahamse) snatches the Prince away.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But beyond the watches, what immediately catches the eye upon entering the space is a floor-to-ceiling wall covered in live local greenery.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
3 Apr. 2026
-
But when this happens, what catches many people off guard isn't the garnishment itself, as there are plenty of warning signs beforehand.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This visual story captures the festival’s scale, atmosphere, fashion and crowd energy throughout the grounds.—
Miami Herald newsroom,
Miami Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The deep space image captures a fleeting moment in a titanic struggle that has lasted hundreds of millions of years, as the gravitational influence of the galaxies NGC 4038 and NGC 4039 pulls at one another to create chaos on a truly cosmic scale.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Glen Powell gets his Han Solo moment as the slick pilot Fox McCloud, and mischievous monkeys known as Ukikis threaten to steal the show with their pickpocketing antics.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
For musicians, playing these sporting events gets them in front of broader audiences that may come outside of their core fanbase.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Prioritize balance by naming what fits today and what lands tomorrow.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Economic impact almost always leads the news when a city lands the NFL draft.—
Adam Annaccone,
The Conversation,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grabs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grabs. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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