GRABBING Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

grabbing

verb

present participle of grab

as in snatching

to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly don't grab my arm like that

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 grabbing College students would drive—or bike—across the city to shop there before grabbing a snack—perhaps a nutritious multigrain muffin? — Roseann Cattani, USA Today, 10 July 2026 McKay is accused of grabbing the boy by his ankles, pinning him on the ground and then holding him down by the ankles on the seat portion of a chair. — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026 The team envisions future humanoid robots could also assist by grabbing tools, or clean up following a surgery. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 9 July 2026 Pratt, who rose to prominence in the early aughts as the antagonist of MTV’s The Hills, lost his long shot bid for Los Angeles mayor’s seat last month, placing third in the city’s primary after months of headline-grabbing interviews and campaigning. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026 However, Netflix’s licensing arm is still grabbing great series, and one is back with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes scored season. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 Asha Sharma’s appointment as CEO of Xbox was attention-grabbing from the moment she was named to the position in February. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 7 July 2026 With 30 percent off, this is a Hoka deal definitely worth grabbing. — Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026 Swanson argues those behind-the-scenes improvements have done more to modernize logistics than many of the industry’s headline-grabbing automation projects. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 2 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grabbing

Verb

In the end, Seattle outmaneuvered and outbodied the Sparks, snatching steals and flipping the ball around the perimeter until the Storm fired off a shot.

— Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Heim, the 2024 truck series champion who will move full time into Cup next season with 23XI Racing, led the final three laps after snatching first from teammate Tyler Reddick.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 June 2026

Definition of snatching

Verb

Many developed a deep affection for the country and its artistic innovations, while seizing on business opportunities.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
And some have responded by seizing the female obsession with looks, already rooted in misogyny, and rebranding it with maximum toxicity—in other words, by becoming looksmaxxers.

— Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 11 July 2026

Definition of seizing

Verb

Long before ambient documentation arrived, patients were already reconciling medication lists, catching referral failures, correcting demographic mistakes, and trying to make sense of conflicting recommendations from different specialists.

— Demetri Giannikopoulos, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Whether you’re just headed to the gym or catching a flight, here are 12 Brooks running shoes on sale, starting at $75.

— Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 11 July 2026

Definition of catching

Verb

Leveraging iRacing's renowned expertise, the title promises an authentic, immersive, and hyper-realistic open-wheel racing experience, capturing the NTT IndyCar Series' speed, precision, and drama.

— Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
The material has the potential to combat climate change by capturing and storing carbon or other pollutants, and by extracting water from the atmosphere in water-scarce areas.

— Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026

Definition of capturing

Verb

Swinging his hips, moaning into the mic and briefly getting promiscuous with a mic stand was the authenticity that the majority-millennial crowd expected.

— Sophie Lindberg July 11, Kansas City Star, 12 July 2026
The Dodgers have reason for optimism heading into the second half with three top pitchers getting closer to returning.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026

Definition of getting

Verb

More children are landing in Georgia state custody because one or both parents were detained or deported by immigration authorities, according to data from the Georgia Department of Human Services, Lautaro Grinspan reports.

— Adam Beam, AJC.com, 13 July 2026
Earlier in the day, the airline had a separate plane catch fire after landing in Nassau, according to Bahamian officials.

— Cristian Benavides, CBS News, 13 July 2026

Definition of landing

Browse Nearby Words

grabbed

grabbing

grabble

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“Grabbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grabbing. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of grabbing

verb

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