Synonyms of grab

grab 1 of 2

verb

ˈgrab 

as in to snatch

to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly

don't grab my arm like that

Synonyms & Similar Words

• snatch
• seize
• catch
• get
• capture
• land
• snag
• nab
• trap
• hook
• take hold (of)
• snare
• hold
• corral
• grapple
• snap (up)
• grasp
• bag
• net
• cop
• nail
• rap
• clutch
• glom
• arrest
• grip
• collar
• kidnap
• rope
• nobble
• secure
• detain
• apprehend
• glove
• fist
• clasp
• corner
• abduct
• bay
• rend
• wrest
• lasso
• ensnare
• fasten (on)
• entrap
• latch (on or onto)
• halter
• mesh
• entangle
• spirit (away or off)
• enmesh

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• miss
• release
• free
• drop
• discharge
• liberate
• loosen
• unhand

grab

2 of 2

noun

as in theft

an instance of theft

a political activist who thinks the government's lease of public lands to logging companies amounts to an illegal land grab

Synonyms & Similar Words

• theft
• snatching
• pinch
• heist
• swiping
• rip-off
• burglary
• mugging
• holdup
• break-in
• stickup

Synonym Chooser

How is the word grab different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of grab are clutch, grasp, seize, snatch, and take. While all these words mean "to get hold of by or as if by catching up with the hand," grab implies more roughness or rudeness than snatch.

grabbed roughly by the arm

When can clutch be used instead of grab?

Although the words clutch and grab have much in common, clutch suggests avidity or anxiety in seizing or grasping and may imply less success in holding.

clutching her purse

In what contexts can grasp take the place of grab?

In some situations, the words grasp and grab are roughly equivalent. However, grasp stresses a laying hold so as to have firmly in possession.

grasp the handle and pull

Where would seize be a reasonable alternative to grab?

The words seize and grab can be used in similar contexts, but seize implies a sudden and forcible movement in getting hold of something tangible or an apprehending of something fleeting or elusive when intangible.

seized the suspect

How do snatch and seize relate to one another, in the sense of grab?

Snatch suggests more suddenness or quickness but less force than seize.

snatched a doughnut and ran

When could take be used to replace grab?

The words take and grab are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, take is a general term applicable to any manner of getting something into one's possession or control.

take some salad from the bowl

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of grab

Verb

My thumb and index finger pinched together to grab a dime, while my middle finger reached farther to pick up coins that had rolled under the edge of a cabinet. — Steven Lautzenheiser, The Conversation, 6 July 2026

And the yodel knows that the only way to grab the rose is to risk exposing the hand to the thorn. — Literary Hub, 6 July 2026

Noun

The complex will be about 2 million square feet and include a 24-story, 385-room hotel, 4,300 slot machines, 100 table games and 11 restaurants, a marketplace with six venues, a café and a grab-and-go outlet. — Joe Marusak july 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026

Chefs will keep the lounge’s location in mind, whipping up local specialties, while a hot and cold buffet station is always up for grabs. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 30 June 2026

Phrases Containing grab

• grab bag