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
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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
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Recent Examples of clasping
In one segment, when Kimmel and McNearney pick up a hitchhiking Olivia Rodrigo while taking the family to school, Jane shows off her personality, clasping her hands over her mouth in disbelief when Rodrigo enters the car, only to sing-along with the pop star on her way to school.
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ABC News,
12 May 2026
McDaniels held onto Murray for dear life — often literally clasping his jersey — as the Nuggets tried to run him off every conceivable screen.
—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
1 May 2026
The june bug falls to the bottom of the bag but manages to recover from a new round of kicking by clasping to a leaf.
—
María Ospina,
The Dial,
31 Mar. 2026
Others showed baby Spero clasping his tiny hand around Graham's finger and slumbering with a smile on his face.
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Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Mar. 2026
Back at the gathering, there were Martha’s groans and Gretchen’s anger, and there was Mike, clasping his chest—a heart attack?
—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
Olympic nails have been seen clasping medals on more than one occasion.
—
Amarachi Orie,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Then the beetle seeks out an ant — climbing on top of it, clasping its antennae in its jaws and scooping up its pheromones with brush-like legs.
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Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
To keep the jewelry clean, Glasser covered them in bubblegum wrappers, removing them before clasping the dress in place.
—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
3 Feb. 2026
ABC News,
12 May 2026
McDaniels held onto Murray for dear life — often literally clasping his jersey — as the Nuggets tried to run him off every conceivable screen.
—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
1 May 2026
The june bug falls to the bottom of the bag but manages to recover from a new round of kicking by clasping to a leaf.
—
María Ospina,
The Dial,
31 Mar. 2026
Others showed baby Spero clasping his tiny hand around Graham's finger and slumbering with a smile on his face.
—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Mar. 2026
Back at the gathering, there were Martha’s groans and Gretchen’s anger, and there was Mike, clasping his chest—a heart attack?
—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
Olympic nails have been seen clasping medals on more than one occasion.
—
Amarachi Orie,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Then the beetle seeks out an ant — climbing on top of it, clasping its antennae in its jaws and scooping up its pheromones with brush-like legs.
—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
To keep the jewelry clean, Glasser covered them in bubblegum wrappers, removing them before clasping the dress in place.
—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clasping
Verb
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People remained on the streets for hours, some sitting on the ground hugging pets as dust gathered around them.
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Up in the stands, the Weahs lost their minds, cheering and hugging everyone in sight, the famous George Weah included.
Verb
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After holding the majors’ worst record for much of the current season, the Angels are tied for last in the AL standings at 34-48 heading into their game against the Athletics on Friday night at Angel Stadium.
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According to Atwal, the Gartner analyst, the rising costs could lead to consumers holding onto their devices longer, leading to fundamental changes to upgrade cycles for products such as smartphones.
Verb
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But now, entry-level professionals are clinging to their childhood bedrooms and pillaging their family fridges as more are extending their stay than ever before.
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The debtor had jumped onto the running board of Pitman’s moving rig and was clinging to the driver’s door.
Verb
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But the combatants kept grasping and tugging each other off-balance.
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The initiative aims to address one of industrial robotics’ biggest challenges—grasping and manipulation—while improving automation capabilities and potentially reducing engineering time for handling applications by up to 30 percent.
Verb
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The current leadership uncertainty gripping the ruling Labour Party is arguably just the latest iteration of the turmoil that Brexit inserted into the heart of British politics.
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The velvet coating does a better job of gripping slippery fabrics and delicate garments than plastic or metal alternatives.
Verb
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On Election Day, Schlossberg was campaigning out in the rain despite the concerning polls, hearing stories from passersby about their Kennedy encounters over the years and taking selfies with starstruck supporters.
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Starting at age 10, kids can also sign up as counselors-in-training, helping younger campers in the morning and taking classes with their own age group in the afternoon.
Cite this Entry
“Clasping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clasping. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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