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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hugged
to put one's arms around and press tightly
the departing soldier grasped his children a little closer than usual
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in held
to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms
the attendant grasped my arm and steered me towards the door
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in knew
to have a clear idea of
the emergency operator finally grasped what he was trying to tell her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grasped
Whether Assad grasped this is impossible to know.
—
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
And on top of it all, a social platform has merged where the AI agents can gather to compare notes, with implications that have yet to be fully grasped.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026
Multiple responders then grasped the canine by the neck and back to lift it onboard, during which the dog could be heard slightly whimpering.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Smaller cowbells can be grasped and shaken by little hands.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the last 24 hours is that Weiss appears not to have totally grasped the firestorm her decision would provoke.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 23 Dec. 2025
Sympathetic business leaders have also grasped new opportunities to amplify illiberal narratives for global audiences.
—Nic Cheeseman, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
As grippers, two exoskeleton sections grasped delicate items like tomatoes as well as rigid objects like pens.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Dec. 2025
For the outro, Solís and Karol grasped hands and did a sweet dance.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2025
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
And on top of it all, a social platform has merged where the AI agents can gather to compare notes, with implications that have yet to be fully grasped.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026
Multiple responders then grasped the canine by the neck and back to lift it onboard, during which the dog could be heard slightly whimpering.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Smaller cowbells can be grasped and shaken by little hands.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the last 24 hours is that Weiss appears not to have totally grasped the firestorm her decision would provoke.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 23 Dec. 2025
Sympathetic business leaders have also grasped new opportunities to amplify illiberal narratives for global audiences.
—Nic Cheeseman, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
As grippers, two exoskeleton sections grasped delicate items like tomatoes as well as rigid objects like pens.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Dec. 2025
For the outro, Solís and Karol grasped hands and did a sweet dance.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grasped
Verb
-
Smith grew up on a 200-acre dude ranch in Colorado and fully understood the tone of the novel’s setting.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Feb. 2026
-
It’s understood that Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales backed the statement – the most senior royals united in the strategy.—
Lauren Said-Moorhouse,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
A couple of hours later, the hatches swung open and the seven space travelers hugged and exchanged exuberant high fives.—
Marcia Dunn,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Hudson turned heads at the The Beverly Hilton red carpet in her off-the-shoulder Erdem silk gown, which hugged her body through the knee and featured an unexpected distressed accent with a raw seam on her neckline and visible stitching on the frayed hem.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
9 Feb. 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
-
Company executives knew idle transmission lines could spark wildfires.—
Melody Petersen,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The skate, a shark relative that looks like a stingray, was no surprise since scientists already knew their range extended that far south.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Place your forearms on the ground, with your elbows under your shoulders and palms clasped together, forming a fist.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Each had a sidearm clasped in both hands.—
Scott Eden,
Rolling Stone,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Society is gripped by disbelief, collective trauma and the aftermath of more than 30,000 deaths.—
Pegah Banihashemi,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Two years after a mass shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl rally gripped the city, Reba Paul is still searching for some form of accountability for what happened to her brother.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The company expects a little more of an impact in its Q2, but Cook said it’s fully comprehended in the above Street outlook of 48% to 49%.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Officers detained two men of Indian descent, but local residents stopped the van from leaving the neighborhood; one man even clung to the vehicle after sliding underneath.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Pinheiro Braathen clung on for dear life as his skis slipped through a turn in his second run, almost sending him tumbling.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grasped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grasped. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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