1
as in hugging
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 holding
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 clasping
After arriving on the scene, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey ran toward the sanctuary and was later seen clasping his hands outside on the church steps.
—
Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Parents, some in tears, walked from the school, clasping their kids by the hands or carrying them out on their shoulders.
—Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2025
The two took a few moments to pose on the red – well, beige – carpet together, sharing an embrace, clasping hands and admiring each other's outfits (Johnson was in Gucci).
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
The Everybody's Live with John Mulaney host, 42, sits on the bed, wearing a surgical mask and clasping Munn's hands in his.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Olea stood in the court room Thursday in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs, clasping his own hands.
—Ana Claudia Chacin, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2025
Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Parents, some in tears, walked from the school, clasping their kids by the hands or carrying them out on their shoulders.
—Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2025
The two took a few moments to pose on the red – well, beige – carpet together, sharing an embrace, clasping hands and admiring each other's outfits (Johnson was in Gucci).
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
The Everybody's Live with John Mulaney host, 42, sits on the bed, wearing a surgical mask and clasping Munn's hands in his.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Olea stood in the court room Thursday in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs, clasping his own hands.
—Ana Claudia Chacin, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clasping
Verb
-
When Frankie finally returned home, Beau couldn't contain his joy, jumping for joy and hugging his best friend.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
31 Aug. 2025
-
Layered on top of this is the Northern Sea Route, a shipping lane hugging the Russian coast in the Arctic that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, chops down transit times and helps Moscow transport hydrocarbons to key markets, including in Asia.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
In the photo, Elordi stood behind Romy, holding a glass of wine as Romy stuck her tongue out at the camera.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The Packers controlled the line of scrimmage, holding the league’s top-scoring offense from 2024 to just 13 points.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The difference here is how explicitly that tragedy appears, whereas the director built much of her best work on nuance and suggestion — on the viewer experiencing events rather than fully grasping them.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
-
There have been many previous perching drone designs, but these typically have hooks or grasping claws to hold on to branches or powerlines, or use magnets or gecko-like feet to attach to vertical surfaces.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
With more men than women using apps and with women being more discerning, the odds seem to be against men, particularly men who are clinging to unrealistic expectations.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Millennials are currently ruling the tech industry and clinging to their roles as the economy is rocked by uncertainty due to tariffs, inflation increases living expenses, and AI swipes jobs.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
More Yankees/Getty Images Manager John Schneider confirmed that the Yankees had picked up on a tell when Scherzer was gripping his changeup with runners on base.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The Marswalker has rugged wheels in each corner for gripping the steps, as well as a long antenna to sense angles and heights.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine recently sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, alleging that ChatGPT coached the California boy in planning and taking his own life earlier this year.—
Barbara Ortutay,
Fortune,
12 Sep. 2025
-
But if anyone is taking bets on who will shape the future of fashion publishing, Enninful is surely in the running.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clasping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clasping. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share