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
Godoy only fully grasped the answer before shooting Season 2.
—
Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Marcus Smart and Austin Reaves earned a pair of technical fouls in the second quarter after Celtics small forward Jaylen Brown sent an elbow into Smart’s face on his way to the rim as Boston grasped a 36-33 lead.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 23 Feb. 2026
Few investors had heard of the World Wide Web, let alone grasped its commercial potential.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
Whether Assad grasped this is impossible to know.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 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
Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Marcus Smart and Austin Reaves earned a pair of technical fouls in the second quarter after Celtics small forward Jaylen Brown sent an elbow into Smart’s face on his way to the rim as Boston grasped a 36-33 lead.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 23 Feb. 2026
Few investors had heard of the World Wide Web, let alone grasped its commercial potential.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
Whether Assad grasped this is impossible to know.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grasped
Verb
-
The tween years are a time of big emotions and self-discovery, and shows that reflect this can help kids feel seen and understood.—
Anna Earl,
Parents,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Michelle Commander, the museum's deputy director, told the AP the exhibit change is entirely related to the loan agreement but understood the timing might raise questions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Men’s jeans were stiff and creased and t-shirts fit close to the body and hugged the biceps but did not squeeze them.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
7 Mar. 2026
-
As the City bench erupted following Erling Haaland’s late winner, Guardiola and Foden hugged each other in a way that a father and son probably would.—
Sam Lee,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 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
-
Special Assistant Attorney General Matthew Meyer asked whether Husted knew Laurel Dawson, DeWine's then-chief of staff, and her husband, Mike Dawson.—
JULIE CARR SMYTH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
-
No one knew at the time the A’s would lock up two more players the next year.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sitting in a back room at ExtraMile Arena last weekend, Miller clasped hands with old teammate Steve Barrett, who helped pull him to his feet after an hourlong interview with the Statesman.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Feb. 2026
-
As the final seconds ticked down, Bishop’s senior Lotte Lightner clasped the hand of a teammate on the bench and then bounced up to cheer.—
Glae Thien,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The chaos that has gripped the oil market looks set to deepen, with more production getting cut as the war in Iran effectively shuts the Strait of Hormuz, and the US considers widening its range of targets in the country.—
Yongchang Chin,
Fortune,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Worries about the war have sidelined other concerns that had gripped the market in recent weeks around private credit risks and the disruptive — potentially disinflationary — impact of artificial intelligence.—
Michael MacKenzie,
Bloomberg,
8 Mar. 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
-
The specks of warmth salvaged from the inside of the patrol car, which had clung to his skin under his gray sweatpants and hooded striped sweatshirt, soon fell away.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The Horned Frogs trailed at halftime, but with less than five minutes remaining TCU (29-4) clung to a 62-57 lead.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grasped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grasped. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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