grasp 1 of 2

grasp

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to understand
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4

Synonym Chooser

How is the word grasp different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of grasp are clutch, grab, seize, snatch, and take. While all these words mean "to get hold of by or as if by catching up with the hand," grasp stresses a laying hold so as to have firmly in possession.

grasp the handle and pull

When might clutch be a better fit than grasp?

The synonyms clutch and grasp are sometimes interchangeable, but clutch suggests avidity or anxiety in seizing or grasping and may imply less success in holding.

clutching her purse

How are the words grab and snatch related as synonyms of grasp?

Grab implies more roughness or rudeness than snatch.

grabbed roughly by the arm

When is it sensible to use seize instead of grasp?

While in some cases nearly identical to grasp, seize implies a sudden and forcible movement in getting hold of something tangible or an apprehending of something fleeting or elusive when intangible.

seized the suspect

How do snatch and seize relate to one another, in the sense of grasp?

Snatch suggests more suddenness or quickness but less force than seize.

snatched a doughnut and ran

When could take be used to replace grasp?

While the synonyms take and grasp are close in meaning, take is a general term applicable to any manner of getting something into one's possession or control.

take some salad from the bowl

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 grasp
Noun
To negotiate when our strategic objective is within our grasp risks failing to achieve it. Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 17 June 2025 Would Haliburton be sidelined if this was January, in the dog days of a regular season grind, instead of June when a championship is within grasp? Shane Young, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
Verb
The community was still struggling to grasp the eight boater deaths. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025 As the two families try to grasp what happened 16 years ago, police are called and complications — with violence, threats, mean girls and a disappearance — ensue. Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 22 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for grasp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grasp
Noun
  • Because many of the scenes are shot through windows or doorways, the camera can seem sympathetic to Agnes’s struggle to regain control.
    Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 29 June 2025
  • Ranged across the top of the SoundLink Plus there is a strip of soft-touch controls for turning the speaker on and off, initiating Bluetooth pairing, syncing with other Bose speakers, as well as playing and pausing music, skipping tracks and adjusting volume levels.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Noun
  • Hundreds of Iranians have been detained on political and security charges as the government works to retain its grip on power.
    John Bacon, USA Today, 27 June 2025
  • Safely reducing the jail population will also help staff get a grip on violence and better deliver treatment and rehabilitation.
    Jonathan Lippman, New York Daily News, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • Her studies led her to psychotherapy for healing, like EMDR, and a better understanding of how the nervous system operates.
    Renée Onque, CNBC, 25 June 2025
  • The timing of that cease-fire was the source of some confusion, because there had been no formal agreement between Iran and Israel, just a general understanding.
    Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • If not, the Kings might come to understand why Kerr couldn’t always trust Kuminga in key situations.
    Jason Anderson July 5, Sacbee.com, 5 July 2025
  • To better understand the risks and inform public debate, the French food safety agency ANSES ran multiple studies to measure microplastic levels in everyday foods, especially seafood and beverages.
    Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • Guardiola has always traditionally asked for his two wingers to provide the width for the team but that started to change at times last season, with the full-backs hugging the touchline.
    Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 30 June 2025
  • Aaron Paul and pal, Chef Michael Mina, hug it out at the one-year anniversary of Bourbon Steak in New York.
    Grace Harrington, People.com, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • The Mariners hold a 5 1/2-game game over the Royals in the AL Wild Card standings.
    Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2025
  • Republicans, who hold a 53-47 majority, face united Democratic opposition − and the defection of at least two of their own members.
    Olivia Munson, USA Today, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • The Trump administration said the strikes destroyed Iran's nuclear infrastructure, but the full extent of the damage is not known.
    Sonam Sheth Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • The parliamentarian determined that a provision to bar immigrants who are not citizens or lawful permanent residents from receiving food assistance benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, should also be removed.
    Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • That’s because stock is only taxed when it’s sold, and not on its appreciation in value; activists like the protesters in Venice this week want that to change.
    Phoebe Liu, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
  • Montano expressed appreciation for $5 million worth of federal grants that will be used to improve local intersections and school zones.
    Stephanie Lam, Mercury News, 27 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grasp. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on grasp

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!