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
Loay Hidmi was walking deliberately along the edge of the pool closest to the Lincoln Memorial, hands clasped behind his back, looking over the ledge.
—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
19 June 2026
Newlyweds Tito Avalos, 26, and Andrea Avalos, 24, who were visiting from El Salvador, tied their wishes to a tree together, their wrists entwined and fingers clasped.
—
Deborah Vankin,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
In Wake-Keeper (2026), a roughly four-by-five-foot canvas, a pious man draped in the red cloth of traditional Ghanaian funeral attire sits on a stool with his hands clasped, his body facing the left side of the frame.
—
Lovia Gyarkye,
The New York Review of Books,
6 June 2026
With the entire circumference surrounded by a sea of humanity, Bishnoi hung back, her hands clasped in front of her mouth, while Rai went and lofted the Wanamaker Trophy above his head.
—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Hands clasped, head bowed, blank and fair of face.
—
Literary Hub,
8 May 2026
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
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
19 June 2026
Newlyweds Tito Avalos, 26, and Andrea Avalos, 24, who were visiting from El Salvador, tied their wishes to a tree together, their wrists entwined and fingers clasped.
—
Deborah Vankin,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
In Wake-Keeper (2026), a roughly four-by-five-foot canvas, a pious man draped in the red cloth of traditional Ghanaian funeral attire sits on a stool with his hands clasped, his body facing the left side of the frame.
—
Lovia Gyarkye,
The New York Review of Books,
6 June 2026
With the entire circumference surrounded by a sea of humanity, Bishnoi hung back, her hands clasped in front of her mouth, while Rai went and lofted the Wanamaker Trophy above his head.
—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Hands clasped, head bowed, blank and fair of face.
—
Literary Hub,
8 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clasped
Verb
-
Though slightly loose, the fabric hugged Gray’s frame.
-
While Banda was catching up with them, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts walked up from behind and hugged the reliever.
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.
-
That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.
Verb
-
After bacon strips were wrapped around her ear for 5 to 10 minutes, the maggots clung to the bacon and could be removed.
-
The sleeveless top had a high neckline, and the fabric clung to her body.
Verb
-
The tick should be grasped as close to the skin's surface as possible and pulled upward with steady, even pressure.
-
The correct response cannot be grasped, only meditated upon in the way of a koan used to train Zen Buddhist monks and force them into enlightenment.
Verb
-
Ice skating’s governing body is gliding into a presidential election Friday, free of the turmoil that just gripped its Olympic sibling skiing.
-
Another gripped a yellow stress ball throughout his testimony.
Verb
-
Mikhail Alfon, founder of Blue Light Media, a social media strategy agency, took his son, Santos, to multiple Orange County meetups.
-
Responding officers took Reyes into custody.
Cite this Entry
“Clasped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clasped. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
