as in seizes
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 grabs
Okla Jones, Essence, 10 Sep. 2025
The lilting Calle Malaga, Morocco’s official entry for the International Feature Film Oscar, is a joy largely because of its veteran star who envelops the screen and grabs a role of a career.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2025
Zarutska, who had fled war-town Ukraine, grabs her neck as blood spills onto the floor.
—Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025
As fans scramble to catch the ball, footage shows, the ball appears to land one row in front of a woman while a man runs over and grabs it.
—Chandelis Duster, NPR, 7 Sep. 2025
With City’s left-back, Matheus Nunes, moving out of position to press Mainoo, Ugarte’s involvement grabs the attention of Ilkay Gundogan and Josko Gvardiol.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
Claudette clocks and grabs a strange thumb drive that had been inserted into the workstation.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 4 Sep. 2025
O’Brien’s guest, the comedian Eric André, sits down and grabs a microphone from the host’s desk.
—Chris Almeida, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2025
My teen grabs it for beach days, too.
—Terri Peters, Parents, 26 Aug. 2025
Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Especially in the modern game, a season without injuries feels like a pipe dream, but injuries tend to hit differently when the postseason is only a few weeks away and playoff spots are up for grabs.
—Chad Jennings, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
But multiple other Democratic districts were up for grabs, too.
—Mary Ramsey
updated September 9, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
That goes a long way at the Olympics, where judges scrutinize the cleanliness of riders’ grabs and landings.
—Michelle Bruton, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
There have been power grabs for years regarding real estate and everything else around New York City.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025
Such blatant grabs by the state send a clear signal to those who are tempted to think that the perquisites of Russian elite status—money and businesses—belong exclusively to them.
—Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2025
Still up for grabs is the chance to be the first president to win an Oscar.
—Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
That role was still up for grabs as of Thursday.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
But the feeling when a film grabs hold remains the same—by a story, a character, a voice—that, never goes out of season.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 10 Sep. 2025
The lilting Calle Malaga, Morocco’s official entry for the International Feature Film Oscar, is a joy largely because of its veteran star who envelops the screen and grabs a role of a career.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2025
Zarutska, who had fled war-town Ukraine, grabs her neck as blood spills onto the floor.
—Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025
As fans scramble to catch the ball, footage shows, the ball appears to land one row in front of a woman while a man runs over and grabs it.
—Chandelis Duster, NPR, 7 Sep. 2025
With City’s left-back, Matheus Nunes, moving out of position to press Mainoo, Ugarte’s involvement grabs the attention of Ilkay Gundogan and Josko Gvardiol.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
Claudette clocks and grabs a strange thumb drive that had been inserted into the workstation.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 4 Sep. 2025
O’Brien’s guest, the comedian Eric André, sits down and grabs a microphone from the host’s desk.
—Chris Almeida, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2025
My teen grabs it for beach days, too.
—Terri Peters, Parents, 26 Aug. 2025
Noun
The world title is up for grabs at the 2025 World Track and Field Championships in Tokyo.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Especially in the modern game, a season without injuries feels like a pipe dream, but injuries tend to hit differently when the postseason is only a few weeks away and playoff spots are up for grabs.
—Chad Jennings, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
But multiple other Democratic districts were up for grabs, too.
—Mary Ramsey
updated September 9, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
That goes a long way at the Olympics, where judges scrutinize the cleanliness of riders’ grabs and landings.
—Michelle Bruton, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
There have been power grabs for years regarding real estate and everything else around New York City.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025
Such blatant grabs by the state send a clear signal to those who are tempted to think that the perquisites of Russian elite status—money and businesses—belong exclusively to them.
—Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2025
Still up for grabs is the chance to be the first president to win an Oscar.
—Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
That role was still up for grabs as of Thursday.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grabs
Verb
-
When Day succumbs to his wounds, Dusk seizes the vacuum, claiming Hari Seldon’s psychohistory crystal.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
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By the time Megan seizes control of the reins at the film’s close, the abrupt denouement feels jarringly disconnected rather than organic to the storytelling.—
Michael Rechtshaffen,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Overall last year, nighttime thefts of copper wiring along RTD disrupted train service 21 times between April and October, with thieves escaping with metal worth about $110,000.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Charlotte had 105 homicides in 2024 compared to 88 in 2023, the Associated Press reported, and the rate of vehicle thefts per 100,000 people more than doubled there from 2020 through 2024.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Wednesday then rescues Pugsley as Gomez and Morticia arrive, but before the family can properly reunite, Isaac snatches Wednesday into his telekinetic grip, choking her.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
4 Sep. 2025
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And just when the woman and the cookie are about to share a kiss, a hand reaches in from above and snatches the cookie from the scene.—
Moná Thomas,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Alphonse Pierre’s Off the Dome column covers songs, mixtapes, albums, scenes, snippets, movies, Meek Mill tweets, fashion trends—and anything else that catches his attention.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The center beam shows color and detail clearly, while the outer glow only catches movement.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Jaonaay spent three to four months with producer Karn of Yented crafting the modern R&B track, which captures the sleepless nights and racing thoughts of new love.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Cronenberg captures the way such a gift might unwind a person in an effectively unshowy way.—
James Grebey,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Clearly, Samsung wants to exploit the gap between the two companies until Apple’s iPhone Fold eventually lands.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Grand Finale lands the third straight A for a Downton Abbey movie.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Warren also holds the producing reins and gets co-scripting credit with john Meston.—
Hal Landers,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The Bot gets 1 for guessing in three and then loses it for losing to me.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grabs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grabs. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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