as in snatched
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
don't grab my arm like that
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Recent Examples of grabbed
Young grabbed onto Elijah’s hair to try to hang onto the moment.
—
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Becerra blunder The first ad that grabbed my attention was a quick-turn by San José Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Matt Mahan (still stuck in single-digit polling numbers), who jumped on Xavier Becerra’s first major mess-up.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
One officer grabbed a long gun from his trunk.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Luke Howard allegedly told officers that Valerie Howard had grabbed him around his neck and pushed him.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 14 May 2026
Netflix grabbed the rights after Fox Sports’ 10-year deal as the exclusive broadcaster for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show expired this year.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 13 May 2026
Jamie Foxx grabbed an action shot with the mouse himself at Disneyland in July 2017.
—Mackenzie Schmidt, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
Hutchins allegedly grabbed a woman by the neck, according to a witness.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 13 May 2026
Sabres winger Zach Benson took advantage of Lane Hutson stumbling at the defensive blue line, and grabbed a loose puck before setting up Josh Doan for the opening goal less than five minutes into the game.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Becerra blunder The first ad that grabbed my attention was a quick-turn by San José Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Matt Mahan (still stuck in single-digit polling numbers), who jumped on Xavier Becerra’s first major mess-up.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
One officer grabbed a long gun from his trunk.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Luke Howard allegedly told officers that Valerie Howard had grabbed him around his neck and pushed him.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 14 May 2026
Netflix grabbed the rights after Fox Sports’ 10-year deal as the exclusive broadcaster for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show expired this year.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 13 May 2026
Jamie Foxx grabbed an action shot with the mouse himself at Disneyland in July 2017.
—Mackenzie Schmidt, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
Hutchins allegedly grabbed a woman by the neck, according to a witness.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 13 May 2026
Sabres winger Zach Benson took advantage of Lane Hutson stumbling at the defensive blue line, and grabbed a loose puck before setting up Josh Doan for the opening goal less than five minutes into the game.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grabbed
Verb
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The film has generated the kind of heat that has been missing elsewhere in the Marché this week, and a deal for domestic rights is all but certain (there are rumors A24 has already snatched it up).—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
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The vehicles were snatched for being unregistered, uninsured, or having fake or altered license plates, according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The tension spilled into election issues, including accusations that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco seized ballots in a voter‑fraud investigation, now at the center of a legal fight with the state attorney general.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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Photograph courtesy Jennifer Hulse Israel seized control of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank during the Six-Day War, in 1967.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The Giants have not won at home in Week 1 since Hakeem Nicks caught three touchdown passes in a 2010 win over the Carolina Panthers.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
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Steyer backers Speaking of money, the second ad (or sort-of ad) that caught my attention is tied to Steyer, the billionaire who has spent more than $100 million of his own money in this race.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
No candidate has polled higher than 20-some percent — a testament to how many are in the running, but also an indication that none of them has truly captured the zeitgeist of today’s California.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
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Any natural satellites of Psyche could’ve been ejected from the body by ancient impacts—or might’ve even been captured from deep space by chance encounters as the asteroid drifted through the solar system.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The jokes landed because the admiration underneath them was unmistakable.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
18 May 2026
-
The Sky were trailing 30-27 at the time of the injury, which occurred after Jackson bumped a Lynx defender and landed awkwardly on her left leg on the next step.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Verb
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White Sox fans got the last laugh on Sunday afternoon as their squad completed a wild, thrilling comeback victory over their crosstown rivals.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
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Maddie Eisler, a Manhattan Pilates instructor, was trying to explain why Shaggy got the shakes.—
Natalie Meade,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Verb
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The gallery snagged some incredible hard-to-pry loans from the 1960s to the 1990s.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
15 May 2026
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But Walmart snagged first place more than any other chain, earning the top award 11 times for the best superstore across every region, conventional supermarket in the South, grocery store for store brand products, and supermarket for quick and easy shopping.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grabbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grabbed. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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