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
The correct response cannot be grasped, only meditated upon in the way of a koan used to train Zen Buddhist monks and force them into enlightenment.
—
Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
Walt Whitman grasped that something entirely different was called for.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 8 June 2026
And the lecture hall on that campus now features a large, ornate mural of a soccer ball being grasped by the hands of two people — freshly painted by the 2004 Morningside graduate as the city of Inglewood prepares to host eight World Cup games at SoFi Stadium starting next month.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
American has grasped that this will be a tournament when travel is experienced through friction as much as glamour, and that a brand which removes the challenges is remembered differently.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
Maybe soccer has a world of fans who haven’t quite grasped this new-money concept.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 6 May 2026
His survival so far depended on the passion of people who may not have grasped how grave his situation was.
—Jessica Camille Aguirre, New Yorker, 2 May 2026
That extra time doesn't necessarily result in the struggling student performing better than the student who grasped the assignment more quickly.
—Ariel Gilreath, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
As a younger player, James grasped that the fundamentals were paramount.
—Matt Fuchs, Time, 20 Apr. 2026
Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
Walt Whitman grasped that something entirely different was called for.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 8 June 2026
And the lecture hall on that campus now features a large, ornate mural of a soccer ball being grasped by the hands of two people — freshly painted by the 2004 Morningside graduate as the city of Inglewood prepares to host eight World Cup games at SoFi Stadium starting next month.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
American has grasped that this will be a tournament when travel is experienced through friction as much as glamour, and that a brand which removes the challenges is remembered differently.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
Maybe soccer has a world of fans who haven’t quite grasped this new-money concept.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 6 May 2026
His survival so far depended on the passion of people who may not have grasped how grave his situation was.
—Jessica Camille Aguirre, New Yorker, 2 May 2026
That extra time doesn't necessarily result in the struggling student performing better than the student who grasped the assignment more quickly.
—Ariel Gilreath, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
As a younger player, James grasped that the fundamentals were paramount.
—Matt Fuchs, Time, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grasped
Verb
-
Lee understood the dramaturgy of space.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
12 June 2026
-
The relationship that followed would become one of mutual respect and understanding, with Jackie finding the Queen to be someone who understood the unique pressures of public life and all that came with it.—
Simon Perry,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The Heaven’s 27 parents hugged and talked easily with one another, but their tired eyes always seemed a breath away from tears.—
Karen Valby,
Vanity Fair,
16 June 2026
-
The garment hugged her midsection in before fluttering out over her hips.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
15 June 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
-
No other information was released on Wednesday, including whether the two men knew each other.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
-
The 71-year-old never knew his father and was raised by a mother struggling with alcoholism.—
Shannon McCaffrey,
AJC.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Newlyweds Tito Avalos, 26, and Andrea Avalos, 24, who were visiting from El Salvador, tied their wishes to a tree together, their wrists entwined and fingers clasped.—
Deborah Vankin,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
-
There was also a shot of the infant fast asleep, her tiny hands clasped almost in a prayer position, looking serenely peaceful.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
Another gripped a yellow stress ball throughout his testimony.—
Stepheny Price , Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2026
-
The Murder of Rachel Nickell has viewers gripped.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 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
-
Champagne and beer soaked the floor, cigar smoke clung to the air and the Knicks finally celebrated a title generations of fans have longed to see.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
14 June 2026
-
The Spurs clung to a seven-point lead at halftime, setting up a back-and-forth second half and a tight fourth quarter.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grasped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grasped. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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