grasped

past tense of grasp
1
as in understood
to have a practical understanding of he just doesn't grasp how important it is that he call when he'll be late

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 grasped So all three of your adaptations have grasped quite the attention before even coming out. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026 When visiting Ground Zero, Surdo said he was struck by the scale and the enormity of the destruction and the sulfurish smell, which were two things that couldn’t be grasped by seeing the site on television. — Andis Robeznieks, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026 Ashton Daniels, who started his career at Stanford and then appeared in four games at Auburn last season, has quickly grasped the offense, according to every testimonial delivered by teammates and FSU offensive coaches since the spring. — Andre C. Fernandez, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026 By the Monitor's Editorial Board Five years ago this month, as the last United States forces withdrew from Afghanistan, the Taliban grasped the reins of government and have kept a tight hold on them since. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Aug. 2026 Bob O’Connor Smalls immediately grasped that the same rock-breaking strategy could be used for mineral mining, carbon sequestration, and extending the life of oil and gas wells. — IEEE Spectrum, 11 Aug. 2026 Stories of first times, of big feelings imperfectly grasped, of life coming into focus for better or worse. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026 The Child has placed his foot on the basket of yarns and has grasped the yarnwinder and gazes attentively at the four spokes that are in the form of a cross. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 3 Aug. 2026 But some people think Big Mama grasped the song’s meaning better than Elvis did. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grasped
Verb
  • Amidst all the turmoil, everyone understood that the March 5 election was a make-or-break moment not only for the Hitler chancellorship but for democracy itself.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Dave 1 understood the instinct immediately, even when the results took him by surprise.
    — Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • When Ramirez’s daughter returned to her seat after speaking, the same relative hugged and kissed her.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The property itself was first built by the Medici family and sits in the Val d’Orcia, hugged by endless hills dotted by cypresses and quaint villages.
    — CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The rapper, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested in September 2024.
    — Daniel S. Levine, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.
    — Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 6 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Just 20% of Gen Z knew their exact interest rate on their credit debt—the lowest of any generation and well below baby boomers.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Omani officials knew of al-Hammami’s interest in radical Islamism but failed to flag their concerns; flydubai never checked his record with the Omani authorities.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Then the duo begins, and everyone leans forward, rapt, hands clasped loosely in front of them, mouthing every word.
    — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Davis stood with his lawyer as the verdict was read, then sat with his hands clasped on the table.
    — Jon Haworth, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Many of the beautiful, sometimes ingenious products and technologies developed with the rise of the modern era gripped the popular imagination and made life easier, healthier and more connected.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Others gripped plastic cups of golden beer and paper cups of Yorkshire tea.
    — Vanda Mayer, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The polling points to the enduring legacy of 9/11, even as many Americans today are too young to have experienced or comprehended the event a quarter-century ago.
    — Linley Sanders, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The frames keep changing regardless of how much the viewer has noticed or comprehended.
    — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
Verb
  • With nowhere to escape, Rivera clung to the side of the overpass.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The passage Kazan clung to as her guiding principle in her study of Cathy arrives in Chapter 17.
    — Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Grasped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grasped. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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