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
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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.
—
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
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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The train continues south to Christchurch, hugging the craggy coast.—
Steve Madgwick,
Travel + Leisure,
18 June 2026
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His psychedelic paintings, sometimes painted in the style of Russian Orthodox icons, often depicted Putin with a bovine nose or hugging pigs.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Canada is now tied with Switzerland atop Group B, with both teams holding four points after two matches.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
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There are also the remnants of a statue thought to be of Silvanus, the Roman god of the countryside, holding a small animal in one hand and a basket adorned with birds in another.—
Barbie Latza Nadeau,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
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.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
22 June 2026
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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.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
Verb
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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.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
16 June 2026
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On a Saturday afternoon in Nuuk, Greenland, last March, a thousand people walked down toward the harbor, to a small red cabin that bore the Great Seal of the United States—an eagle grasping an olive branch in one foot and thirteen arrows in the other.—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
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.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
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The velvet coating does a better job of gripping slippery fabrics and delicate garments than plastic or metal alternatives.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
22 June 2026
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.—
Kyler Alvord,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
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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.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
24 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clasping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clasping. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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