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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grasped
This time was his time and with Gordon off the pitch, Woltemade grasped it and clung to it.
—
George Caulkin, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
Appiah argues that the idea of free speech is best grasped negatively, by asking what happens when the ability of a government to impose restrictions isn’t so restricted.
—Lula Konner, The New York Review of Books, 4 Oct. 2025
Fortunately, the peerless English gun-maker and safari outfitter Westley Richards seems to have grasped this predicament and come up with a solution.
—Air Mail, 4 Oct. 2025
Arms stretched wide and his eyes popping even wider, the ball grasped tightly in his left hand, Boise State fifth-year cornerback A’Marion McCoy soaked in the cheers.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 28 Sep. 2025
When conservative activists first tried to make noise about changing the culture of television, executives quickly grasped their agenda and its dangers.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 27 Sep. 2025
As a pro, his best play came last season as the Ducks grasped strings at the fringes of a playoff race.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 27 Sep. 2025
Strangers weren’t a concept that Jayce grasped very well, his family said.
—Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 26 Sep. 2025
The Reformation’s possibilities, as well as its limits, cannot be grasped without an understanding of the Peasants’ War as the giant trauma at its center.
—Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
George Caulkin, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
Appiah argues that the idea of free speech is best grasped negatively, by asking what happens when the ability of a government to impose restrictions isn’t so restricted.
—Lula Konner, The New York Review of Books, 4 Oct. 2025
Fortunately, the peerless English gun-maker and safari outfitter Westley Richards seems to have grasped this predicament and come up with a solution.
—Air Mail, 4 Oct. 2025
Arms stretched wide and his eyes popping even wider, the ball grasped tightly in his left hand, Boise State fifth-year cornerback A’Marion McCoy soaked in the cheers.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 28 Sep. 2025
When conservative activists first tried to make noise about changing the culture of television, executives quickly grasped their agenda and its dangers.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 27 Sep. 2025
As a pro, his best play came last season as the Ducks grasped strings at the fringes of a playoff race.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 27 Sep. 2025
Strangers weren’t a concept that Jayce grasped very well, his family said.
—Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 26 Sep. 2025
The Reformation’s possibilities, as well as its limits, cannot be grasped without an understanding of the Peasants’ War as the giant trauma at its center.
—Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grasped
Verb
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Many women who have endured violence within Christian homes wish the church understood that silence, misinterpretation of Scripture, and misplaced calls for forgiveness can deepen trauma.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
-
So freshmen have more time to consume play calls and gather themselves, when in the past, to maintain pace, teams leaned on older players who better understood offenses and wouldn’t find themselves out of place.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Nail hugged his defense attorneys Julia Fox and Andrew Ganz after the court clerk read the verdict.—
Cameron Macdonald,
Mercury News,
15 Oct. 2025
-
After the woman thanked her, hugged her, and left, O’Connell never heard from her again.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
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
-
While most said the shutdown wasn't affecting them directly, many interviewees knew someone who is a federal worker waiting for their next paycheck.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The lawsuit, which names AES and John Sonday, alleged the company knew American Sporting Supplies was not following workplace safety laws in the building but failed to take any action.—
Kelly Puente,
Nashville Tennessean,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Later, the family clasped hands and prayed in a circle.—
Katie Moore,
Kansas City Star,
16 Oct. 2025
-
So the film only makes sense when those two things are clasped together.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The group has grown from 35 member organizations to 75 in the four and a half years since statue-toppling gripped America.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Theresa is easy not to notice in everyday life, and Keaton tapped into that ordinariness, along with the wanderlust that gripped so many discontented antiheroes of the 1970s.—
Tim Grierson,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Gomez clung to summer style in a white sundress.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
10 Oct. 2025
-
This time was his time and with Gordon off the pitch, Woltemade grasped it and clung to it.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Khusnutdinov took a pass from Pastrnak but wasted no time in sending it right back to Pastrnak, who beat Vanecek between the pads.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The Broncos began isolating their playmakers one-on-one, and Nix took advantage.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grasped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grasped. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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