1
as in hugged
to put one's arms around and press tightly
clasped his long-lost sister and cried without restraint
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in held
to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms
clasped a crayon and began drawing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of clasped
Another girl, Donna Jo, apparently naked on a back-yard lawn, holds several small, round pieces of fruit, still on their leafy branch, clasped to her chest like a trophy.
—
Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
Kneeling beside him is a young woman with hands clasped in prayer in this moment of freedom.
—Tyehimba Jess, ARTnews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Harry stood quietly with his hands clasped until one line appeared to resonate deeply.
—Kylie Walters, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
The oversized coat featured a single button along the collar, which Zendaya wore clasped over her cotton-poplin skirt, creating a voluminous silhouette with an airy effect.
—Staff Author, InStyle, 4 Apr. 2026
As Keyla ran around the stage in a black dress adorned with crosses, Richie and Palmer clasped their hands in excitement.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
Sitting in a back room at ExtraMile Arena last weekend, Miller clasped hands with old teammate Steve Barrett, who helped pull him to his feet after an hourlong interview with the Statesman.
—Idaho Statesman, 28 Feb. 2026
As the final seconds ticked down, Bishop’s senior Lotte Lightner clasped the hand of a teammate on the bench and then bounced up to cheer.
—Glae Thien, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
Watching from the center of the oval, Ning clasped his hands in prayer during the final race.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
Kneeling beside him is a young woman with hands clasped in prayer in this moment of freedom.
—Tyehimba Jess, ARTnews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Harry stood quietly with his hands clasped until one line appeared to resonate deeply.
—Kylie Walters, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
The oversized coat featured a single button along the collar, which Zendaya wore clasped over her cotton-poplin skirt, creating a voluminous silhouette with an airy effect.
—Staff Author, InStyle, 4 Apr. 2026
As Keyla ran around the stage in a black dress adorned with crosses, Richie and Palmer clasped their hands in excitement.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
Sitting in a back room at ExtraMile Arena last weekend, Miller clasped hands with old teammate Steve Barrett, who helped pull him to his feet after an hourlong interview with the Statesman.
—Idaho Statesman, 28 Feb. 2026
As the final seconds ticked down, Bishop’s senior Lotte Lightner clasped the hand of a teammate on the bench and then bounced up to cheer.
—Glae Thien, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
Watching from the center of the oval, Ning clasped his hands in prayer during the final race.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clasped
Verb
-
When the hearing ended, Moore leaned over a courtroom barrier and hugged his wife.—
Larry Lage,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Dozens of people handed out candles and hugged one another as stories were shared.—
Brandon Truitt,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The rapper, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested in September 2024.—
Daniel S. Levine,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Atheist philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche grasped the radical implications of this view.—
James O. Cunningham,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
-
When Chinese alchemists invented gunpowder in the ninth century, no one grasped the full range of its potential uses.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The pastry clung to a thin layer of aspic that enveloped a filing of pork shoulder and fat, bacon, chicken liver, veal sweetbreads, and button, shiitake and wood ear mushrooms.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The smell was overwhelming, a nauseating mix of rotting food, burning plastic, chemicals and decay that clung to my clothes and skin.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While his parents were able to keep their reactions close to the vest, Prince George was clearly gripped by what was happening on the court during Wimbledon 2022.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
-
The male wolf, named Neukgu, burrowed out of his enclosure at the O-World zoo in Daejeon on April 8, prompting a search that gripped the nation and raised fears about his safety.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
John Klingberg then took control of a loose puck and gave it to Celebrini, who fired it over to an open Smith for his 24th of the season.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Police served a search warrant at the house and took several items as possible evidence.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clasped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clasped. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
