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
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Recent Examples of grasping
Natan Linder, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 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
Unlike most other camp movies, this one isn’t about preserving and revering childhood, but the sloppy, grasping, wonderful transition to adulthood.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 May 2024
Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
There have been many previous perching drone designs, but these typically have hooks or grasping claws to hold on to branches or powerlines, or use magnets or gecko-like feet to attach to vertical surfaces.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Paddles flashed almost in unison as the riders grasping them made their way down to the river side of the sandbar.
—Debra Utacia Krol, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025
Can any country lay claim to grasping that just-right balance of luxury and indulgence better than Italy?
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2025
Yet, the fruit carries a broader meaning as well, as the Christ child also intimately interacts with it, grasping and contemplating it.
—Demir Alp, JSTOR Daily, 29 Aug. 2025
Their strength lies in recognizing key words that signal action or reward, not in parsing the finer details of speech or grasping full sentences.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
The best results seem to come from using spacers alongside practicing intentional foot maneuvers, like toe lifts and grasping objects with your feet.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 2025
The ambiguity and fear stemming from the policies are causing a wave of misinformation that students are grasping onto, Feldblum said.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Engineers still struggle to replicate a grasping human hand, or the hand-eye coordination of a human brain.
—Natan Linder, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 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
Unlike most other camp movies, this one isn’t about preserving and revering childhood, but the sloppy, grasping, wonderful transition to adulthood.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 May 2024
Verb
The difference here is how explicitly that tragedy appears, whereas the director built much of her best work on nuance and suggestion — on the viewer experiencing events rather than fully grasping them.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
There have been many previous perching drone designs, but these typically have hooks or grasping claws to hold on to branches or powerlines, or use magnets or gecko-like feet to attach to vertical surfaces.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Paddles flashed almost in unison as the riders grasping them made their way down to the river side of the sandbar.
—Debra Utacia Krol, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025
Can any country lay claim to grasping that just-right balance of luxury and indulgence better than Italy?
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2025
Yet, the fruit carries a broader meaning as well, as the Christ child also intimately interacts with it, grasping and contemplating it.
—Demir Alp, JSTOR Daily, 29 Aug. 2025
Their strength lies in recognizing key words that signal action or reward, not in parsing the finer details of speech or grasping full sentences.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
The best results seem to come from using spacers alongside practicing intentional foot maneuvers, like toe lifts and grasping objects with your feet.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 2025
The ambiguity and fear stemming from the policies are causing a wave of misinformation that students are grasping onto, Feldblum said.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grasping
Adjective
-
Horizen's greedy leadership, then, is thrilled by the arrival of a cutthroat AI (also played by Daniels, this time in a black wig) willing to maximize profits at any cost.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
26 Aug. 2025
-
Given the already substantial spend on incoming transfers, suggesting the club needs more, possibly sending its spending past the $500 million mark, seems absurd, almost greedy.—
James Nalton,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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When inquiring about a networking organization, understanding the differences among the most prominent categories could further inform a business owner’s decisions.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
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Romer's endogenous growth theory provides a fascinating lens for understanding AI inference costs by treating knowledge and ideas as non-rivalrous goods with unique economic properties.—
Anjana Susarla,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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After arriving on the scene, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey ran toward the sanctuary and was later seen clasping his hands outside on the church steps.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Parents, some in tears, walked from the school, clasping their kids by the hands or carrying them out on their shoulders.—
Natasha Korecki,
NBC news,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
In the photo, Elordi stood behind Romy, holding a glass of wine as Romy stuck her tongue out at the camera.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The Packers controlled the line of scrimmage, holding the league’s top-scoring offense from 2024 to just 13 points.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Shades of brown everything is a big color trend for fall, which means knowing how to style brown boots with black has become a necessary skill.—
Abby Morgan Lebet,
Glamour,
5 Sep. 2025
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The city's restaurants, cafés, and bars reflect the diversity of Chicago's neighborhoods, and knowing where to stay is the key to having convenient access to the best spots.—
Kate Kassin,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
What started as a one-off Eventbrite invitation to a pop-up called Mic Drop Workshop has, seven years later, grown into the leading pipeline of women speakers ready for the stage; and the first stop for event planners eager to bring more female voices to the mic.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
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Head coach Dave Canales, who met with Hooker twice during the pre-draft process, was eager to work with him, and the 27-year-old QB was quick to accept the Panthers’ offer as his official NFL second chance.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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When Frankie finally returned home, Beau couldn't contain his joy, jumping for joy and hugging his best friend.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
31 Aug. 2025
-
Layered on top of this is the Northern Sea Route, a shipping lane hugging the Russian coast in the Arctic that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, chops down transit times and helps Moscow transport hydrocarbons to key markets, including in Asia.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The album’s pointed cover, showing a dolorous schoolboy gripping a phone while holding a basketball, hints at the weighty revelations contained therein.—
Will Dukes,
Rolling Stone,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Alibaba’s progress in AI—where it is considered among the front-runners in Chinese artificial intelligence development—helped gloss over concerns about the three-way battle gripping online commerce.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grasping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grasping. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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