as in greedy
having or marked by an eager and often selfish desire especially for material possessions
a grasping person who would rather buy a car he didn't need than give a dime to charity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in understanding
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
as in clasping
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 holding
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 knowing
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of grasping
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2026
My hope is tenuous, grasping; scar tissue from 108 years of futility is never fully salved.
—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
In this war lawyers invariably are depicted as soulless and grasping ambulance-chasers unconcerned about their clients’ welfare, and businesses as, well, soulless, grasping and unconcerned about their customers.
—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Jan. 2026
The grasping big toe also suggested this human relative spent more time in the trees.
—
CBS News,
26 Nov. 2025
The father, Fyodor Karamazov, is a grasping, lecherous, deceitful, and shameless widower.
—
Karl Ove Knausgaard,
New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2025
The imperial Presidency: Designs on Greenland, promises to take back the Panama Canal, threats of tariffs on countries ranging from Colombia to Taiwan—how did a President who once pledged isolationism become so grasping?
—
Ian Crouch,
The New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2025
Multiplied across numerous markets in every state, the LIHTC fuels more and more grasping for cash instead of reductions to make housing easier to create.
—
Roger Valdez,
Forbes,
6 Nov. 2024
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
16 June 2026
On a Saturday afternoon in Nuuk, Greenland, last March, a thousand people walked down toward the harbor, to a small red cabin that bore the Great Seal of the United States—an eagle grasping an olive branch in one foot and thirteen arrows in the other.
—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
McAfee, not fully grasping why people would want to drink milk that was unpasteurized, nonetheless went to his silo, filled half-gallon containers and packed them in ice chests.
—
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
The tip works best for grasping thick hairs that might crop up at the chin (IYKYK) and will successfully pull them out without much irritation or redness.
—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
10 June 2026
Humanoid robots struggling with tasks like grasping a cup have a new teacher — a person wearing an ultrasound wristband that captures the movement of muscles, tendons and ligaments beneath the skin.
—
ABC News,
9 June 2026
McAfee, not fully grasping why people would want to drink milk that was unpasteurized, nonetheless went to his silo, filled half-gallon containers and packed them in ice chests.
—
Annie Waldman,
ProPublica,
9 June 2026
In the bottom of the 10th with two on and two out, grasping an 11-9 lead, Georgia reliever Justin Byrd toed the rubber ahead in the count 1-2 to Mississippi State’s Jacob Parker.
—
Hunter Delauder,
AJC.com,
8 June 2026
It is built with tools for mapping, navigation, self-charging and VLM grasping demos.
—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
Apes, on the other hand, have much flatter, more grasping feet, indicating that they’re better suited for climbing than for repetitive ground contact.
—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2026
My hope is tenuous, grasping; scar tissue from 108 years of futility is never fully salved.
—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
In this war lawyers invariably are depicted as soulless and grasping ambulance-chasers unconcerned about their clients’ welfare, and businesses as, well, soulless, grasping and unconcerned about their customers.
—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Jan. 2026
The grasping big toe also suggested this human relative spent more time in the trees.
—
CBS News,
26 Nov. 2025
The father, Fyodor Karamazov, is a grasping, lecherous, deceitful, and shameless widower.
—
Karl Ove Knausgaard,
New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2025
The imperial Presidency: Designs on Greenland, promises to take back the Panama Canal, threats of tariffs on countries ranging from Colombia to Taiwan—how did a President who once pledged isolationism become so grasping?
—
Ian Crouch,
The New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2025
Multiplied across numerous markets in every state, the LIHTC fuels more and more grasping for cash instead of reductions to make housing easier to create.
—
Roger Valdez,
Forbes,
6 Nov. 2024
Verb
The initiative aims to address one of industrial robotics’ biggest challenges—grasping and manipulation—while improving automation capabilities and potentially reducing engineering time for handling applications by up to 30 percent.
—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
16 June 2026
On a Saturday afternoon in Nuuk, Greenland, last March, a thousand people walked down toward the harbor, to a small red cabin that bore the Great Seal of the United States—an eagle grasping an olive branch in one foot and thirteen arrows in the other.
—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
McAfee, not fully grasping why people would want to drink milk that was unpasteurized, nonetheless went to his silo, filled half-gallon containers and packed them in ice chests.
—
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
The tip works best for grasping thick hairs that might crop up at the chin (IYKYK) and will successfully pull them out without much irritation or redness.
—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
10 June 2026
Humanoid robots struggling with tasks like grasping a cup have a new teacher — a person wearing an ultrasound wristband that captures the movement of muscles, tendons and ligaments beneath the skin.
—
ABC News,
9 June 2026
McAfee, not fully grasping why people would want to drink milk that was unpasteurized, nonetheless went to his silo, filled half-gallon containers and packed them in ice chests.
—
Annie Waldman,
ProPublica,
9 June 2026
In the bottom of the 10th with two on and two out, grasping an 11-9 lead, Georgia reliever Justin Byrd toed the rubber ahead in the count 1-2 to Mississippi State’s Jacob Parker.
—
Hunter Delauder,
AJC.com,
8 June 2026
It is built with tools for mapping, navigation, self-charging and VLM grasping demos.
—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grasping
Adjective
-
Nature with its blind eyes and greedy fingers.
-
At his sentencing in 2024, Bailyn, the prosecutor, described Lorquet as a greedy criminal who fleeced his country at one of its weakest moments in history.
Verb
-
The lack of information generally is a big issue for blind travelers as well, along with airline and airport employees not understanding the rules that govern accommodations for blind passengers.
-
For businesspeople, institutional investors, consumers with credit card or automobile debt, or anyone or anything else — for you — understanding the Fed is important.
Verb
-
In one segment, when Kimmel and McNearney pick up a hitchhiking Olivia Rodrigo while taking the family to school, Jane shows off her personality, clasping her hands over her mouth in disbelief when Rodrigo enters the car, only to sing-along with the pop star on her way to school.
-
McDaniels held onto Murray for dear life — often literally clasping his jersey — as the Nuggets tried to run him off every conceivable screen.
Verb
-
Canada is now tied with Switzerland atop Group B, with both teams holding four points after two matches.
-
There are also the remnants of a statue thought to be of Silvanus, the Roman god of the countryside, holding a small animal in one hand and a basket adorned with birds in another.
Verb
-
Mabinty was remembered as a beautiful soul whose kindness, love, and hardworking spirit touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing her.
-
Searching for Sanchez-Munoz Despite police knowing a suspect’s identity so early, Sanchez-Munoz — who was considered armed and dangerous — was still not in custody Wednesday.
Adjective
-
Now, the 49‑year‑old turns his attention to an NBA roster headlined by Flagg and a Mavericks team eager to return to championship contention.
-
Some ships, eager to get out of harm’s the war’s way, may have their vessels towed tug their boats out of the strait before they’re cleaned.
Verb
-
The train continues south to Christchurch, hugging the craggy coast.
-
His psychedelic paintings, sometimes painted in the style of Russian Orthodox icons, often depicted Putin with a bovine nose or hugging pigs.
Verb
-
The current leadership uncertainty gripping the ruling Labour Party is arguably just the latest iteration of the turmoil that Brexit inserted into the heart of British politics.
-
The velvet coating does a better job of gripping slippery fabrics and delicate garments than plastic or metal alternatives.
Cite this Entry
“Grasping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grasping. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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