1
as in hands
the ability to direct the course of something
for a time it looked like most of Europe would be within Hitler's grasp
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grips
the act or manner of holding
during the roller coaster ride, my date clutched my arm with a deathlike grasp
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in understandings
the knowledge gained from the process of coming to know or understand something
I think I finally have a grasp of Spanish grammar
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in understands
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 clasps
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 holds
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 knows
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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of grasps
Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Sep. 2025
Halakhic rulings on divorce, medical emergencies, or conversion involve nuance that no present-day model grasps.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2025
Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
Valeria finally grasps the extent of Manu’s deception after finding Bea dead in her hotel room.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
In each of these use cases, AI that sorts through appropriate, clean datasets—and grasps the full context of the worker’s role, functions and intentions—is the differentiator in deriving quantifiable value.
—Dan Adika, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Del Mazo grasps the importance of rhythm for the page turn, and her pacing is spot-on.
—Barney Saltzberg, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
For sustained success and a secure future in college football’s next edition, nothing is more important than a president who grasps the power of athletics to enhance campus life.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 13 Feb. 2025
This might seem obvious, but apparently, not everyone grasps the concept.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2025
The makeup designs on the main and guest cast characterize them almost instantaneously in ways the viewer grasps but doesn’t need to consciously think about.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 5 Feb. 2025
And while the boxing is kinetically directed, Morrison grasps that the movie’s fiercest stands are taken outside the ring, when Claressa — faced with tough choices about her future — asserts herself to the people who need to hear it.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
Noun
The Hurricanes needed that to happen after the game nearly slipped out of their grasps.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Sep. 2025
Halakhic rulings on divorce, medical emergencies, or conversion involve nuance that no present-day model grasps.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
The photo shows Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on one knee as Swift grasps his face.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
Valeria finally grasps the extent of Manu’s deception after finding Bea dead in her hotel room.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
In each of these use cases, AI that sorts through appropriate, clean datasets—and grasps the full context of the worker’s role, functions and intentions—is the differentiator in deriving quantifiable value.
—Dan Adika, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Del Mazo grasps the importance of rhythm for the page turn, and her pacing is spot-on.
—Barney Saltzberg, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
For sustained success and a secure future in college football’s next edition, nothing is more important than a president who grasps the power of athletics to enhance campus life.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 13 Feb. 2025
This might seem obvious, but apparently, not everyone grasps the concept.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2025
The makeup designs on the main and guest cast characterize them almost instantaneously in ways the viewer grasps but doesn’t need to consciously think about.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 5 Feb. 2025
And while the boxing is kinetically directed, Morrison grasps that the movie’s fiercest stands are taken outside the ring, when Claressa — faced with tough choices about her future — asserts herself to the people who need to hear it.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grasps
Noun
-
The land changed hands as developers pitched grand ideas to no avail.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Switzerland, like Germany, built its 20th-century industrial economy on training and valuing all types of workers—those that work with their hands and those that work at a desk.—
Peter Vanham,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
New data showed manufacturing contracted this month, but less than expected, a hopeful indication that authorities may be coming to grips with industrial overcapacity.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Now, the father-daughter pair work together on the show as grips, the department responsible for camera support, rigging and more.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The smallest connections fortify the biggest understandings.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Others include cognitive empathy (accurately understanding a patient’s situation); communication skills (asking about patients’ lives and telling them our interpretations); and altruism (mobilizing these understandings for the patient’s benefit).—
Rachel Pearson,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Why some fans feel let down Kaeli Dance, a Salt Lake City, Utah, content creator, understands some fans may feel let down.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Greater Manchester Police had declared PLATO – a national code word used when police deploy armed officers across the force to the scene of an attack, CNN understands.—
Peter Wilkinson,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But Robbie, ever the scrappy guy, already sees through the naïve guise and holds the FBI Task Force agent at gun point.—
Grace Byron,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Excess water can wear down the glue that holds the bristles and handle together.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But that’s a little thing, Javonte knows he cannot get tackled in bounds.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Oct. 2025
-
The problem is that the show has far too many other threads to tie together and never quite knows how to dole out its many secrets, visions, and lies.—
Grace Byron,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
To implement explicit content settings, turn on or off parental controls in device settings.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Consequently, every knowledge worker must adopt a risk management mindset, constantly assessing the potential blast radius of their prompts and acting as a steward of their company’s data, controls, and compliance obligations.—
Marco Argenti,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Banks and private investors should recalibrate their perceptions of risk to better support creative industries, wrote Tochi Louis, founder of a market intelligence platform, in TechCabal.—
Vivianne Wandera,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Outdated perceptions persist, and many view manufacturing as dirty, dangerous, and limiting career growth.—
Mark Rayfield,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grasps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grasps. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share