grab 1 of 2

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

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

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 grab
Verb
Later in the same fourth round, the Panthers also picked up another left winger, grabbing Shea Busch, an 18-year-old committed to Penn State University, with the No. 128 pick. Cameron Priester, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2025 The Wings grabbed a lead on an and-one bucket by JJ Quinerly with 5 minutes, 29 seconds remaining. Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 June 2025
Noun
These are the coveted items our editors immediately added to their carts for checkout—a mix of trend-forward silhouettes and everyday essentials—all up for grabs at up to 40% off. Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 27 June 2025 On top of its best-in-class leggings, summer styles like exercise dresses and bike shorts are up for grabs for way less than usual. Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for grab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grab
Verb
  • Last year a cat was caught leaping over the sink to snatch some spaghetti from the side.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025
  • One night, a man on a bike unexpectedly pushed me over, snatched my phone, and rode furiously away.
    Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • The suspects are accused of scheming to steam virtual currency from two companies, with a value of over $900,000 at the time of the thefts, and to launder the proceeds.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2025
  • The theft also pilfered Maris’s 1961 Hickok Belt, awarded to the best athlete in all professional sports.
    Gary Stoller, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • In 2024, the DEA seized more than 60 million counterfeit pills and nearly 8,000 pounds of fentanyl powder nationwide — enough to deliver more than 380 million lethal doses.
    Mark Michalek, Denver Post, 28 June 2025
  • Speakers at the conference, aimed at helping Republicans hold the House and Senate, seized on Mamdani’s win as a symbol of the Democratic Party’s hard-left turn, using it to paint the entire party with the same brush.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • The fireball that caught the attention of people across the southeastern United States is presumed to be from a meteor fragmenting in the sky, according to meteorologists and other experts.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 28 June 2025
  • That unique twist is exactly what caught the attention of Quinn Cosgrove, bass player for local Kansas band The Whips.
    Ramal Nasim, Kansas City Star, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Daniels gets his guy Aiyuk, who's the younger, and potentially better receiver.
    Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025
  • As New York closed in on Tuesday's vote, more investors got nervous as the polls showed Mamdani was leading.
    Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • And listing this doesn’t capture the sheer violation of humanity: ripping babies away from their mothers, damaging trans kids by denying them access to medical care, and abetting food apartheid by working to eliminate Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
    Michael Pfleger, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2025
  • Police previously captured the other eight escapees following the May 16 jailbreak, one of the largest in recent U.S. history.
    JIM MUSTIAN, Arkansas Online, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • Hit Me Hard and Soft rises more than 20 spaces on both the Official Physical Albums and Official Albums Sales charts, landing, coincidentally, at No. 40 on both at the same time.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Another blow could land on July 9, the deadline President Donald Trump has imposed on other countries to secure trade deals with the U.S. to avoid higher tariffs.
    Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • But this fish somehow came up right to the surface and then went back to the bottom and the line got snagged twice.
    Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2025
  • Plus, snag the Bedsure Travel Blanket With Eye Mask that’s basically a three-for-one deal—you’ll get a travel blanket, pillow, and eye mask, all for just $16 with on-site code.
    Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 29 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grab. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on grab

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!