1
as in suitcases
a bag carried by hand and designed to hold a traveler's clothing and personal articles
she placed her grip in the train's overhead rack and seated herself comfortably
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in grasps
the act or manner of holding
get a better grip on the lid and try to open the jar again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in understandings
the knowledge gained from the process of coming to know or understand something
he has a good grip on basic Spanish grammar and spelling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in controls
the right or means to command or control others
a tyrant that keeps the masses tightly in his grip
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in handles
a part by which an implement is held
bought new pots with heat-resistant grips
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in clutches
to have or keep in one's hands
gripped the handlebars tightly and raced down the hill
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fascinates
to hold the attention of as if by a spell
that true crime story gripped me as much as any whodunit
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in interests
to hold the attention of
that movie will grip any true sports car fan
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in holds
to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms
the baby gripped my fingers and wouldn't let go
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 grips
Ed Garsten, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
At least seven National Weather Service (NWS) offices broke low temperature records Monday morning as chilly weather grips much of the United States.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
That’s no easy feat, since coming to grips with environmental destruction is overwhelming and anxiety-inducing for most people and reducing climate impacts on film sets, where time is money, calls for balancing expectations with reality.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
One clammy hand grips the wheel.
—Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2025
Sooner or later, the two sides will have to come to grips with the enrichment issue.
—Robert J. Einhorn, Foreign Affairs, 29 Aug. 2025
Millions in the West are facing heat watches and warnings as a dangerous heat wave grips the region, increasing fire risks amid dry conditions.
—Chandelis Duster, NPR, 25 Aug. 2025
The matte-plastic top surface resists fingerprints, while textured rubber side grips provide solid control during long sessions.
—Sascha Brodsky, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2025
The efforts helped the Liberty get a game against a Lynx squad waiting all offseason to get revenge for losing grips of a WNBA title last October.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2025
Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The film grips the attention from the opening frames – grainy archive footage of a man wearing a gas mask who drives a pickup truck down a road bordered by white cylindrical storage containers.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
That’s in part because Kamiya has tapped into the malaise that grips Japan, especially among the under-50 crowd who are fed up with the status quo.
—Jeff Kingston, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
Extreme heat grips millions on West Coast Dangerous heat is impacting more than 50 million Americans in the West this weekend, with heat alerts in effect from Arizona to Washington.
—Daniel Peck, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2025
This pair gives you the best of both worlds, including a thick lug sole that grips slippery ground.
—Rylee Johnston, People.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Noun
Indeed, both consumers and the auto industry need to come to grips with a stark reality, said Smoke.
—Ed Garsten, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
At least seven National Weather Service (NWS) offices broke low temperature records Monday morning as chilly weather grips much of the United States.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
That’s no easy feat, since coming to grips with environmental destruction is overwhelming and anxiety-inducing for most people and reducing climate impacts on film sets, where time is money, calls for balancing expectations with reality.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
One clammy hand grips the wheel.
—Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2025
Sooner or later, the two sides will have to come to grips with the enrichment issue.
—Robert J. Einhorn, Foreign Affairs, 29 Aug. 2025
Millions in the West are facing heat watches and warnings as a dangerous heat wave grips the region, increasing fire risks amid dry conditions.
—Chandelis Duster, NPR, 25 Aug. 2025
The matte-plastic top surface resists fingerprints, while textured rubber side grips provide solid control during long sessions.
—Sascha Brodsky, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2025
The efforts helped the Liberty get a game against a Lynx squad waiting all offseason to get revenge for losing grips of a WNBA title last October.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2025
Verb
Tom Hammock, along with key cast and crew, delves into the intricacies of designing the terror that grips this unsuspecting community.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The film grips the attention from the opening frames – grainy archive footage of a man wearing a gas mask who drives a pickup truck down a road bordered by white cylindrical storage containers.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
That’s in part because Kamiya has tapped into the malaise that grips Japan, especially among the under-50 crowd who are fed up with the status quo.
—Jeff Kingston, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
Extreme heat grips millions on West Coast Dangerous heat is impacting more than 50 million Americans in the West this weekend, with heat alerts in effect from Arizona to Washington.
—Daniel Peck, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2025
This pair gives you the best of both worlds, including a thick lug sole that grips slippery ground.
—Rylee Johnston, People.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grips
Noun
-
The remains went undiscovered for four years — until 2022, when a local family purchased the unit’s contents at auction and opened the suitcases, PEOPLE previously reported.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Kiss messy suitcases goodbye with these genius travel organizers.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Sep. 2025
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
Noun
-
The trial court also applied the new historical practices and understandings test, holding that there was no evidence of a tradition to display the Ten Commandments in public schools permanently.—
Lydia Artz,
The Conversation,
5 Sep. 2025
-
But this week’s Platonic is the first official road trip episode, a brisk 24-minute journey during which both of our central characters overcome their denial and come to important understandings.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Modified plants grew two to three times heavier than controls.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Ten years ago, several sites, including YouTube and Tumblr, also lacked guardrails and only added meaningful parental controls in recent years.—
Annabelle Canela,
Parents,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
With its roomy interior, practical handles, and sleek design, the must-have bag is a back-to-work essential.—
Nicol Natale,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The bright interiors are all super futuristic, with seats, handles, and small displays that appear to all float around you.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The older woman clutches her top towel closer to her.—
Weike Wang,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Is there one that particularly fascinates you?—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
10 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Chances are, there’s a book on a topic that interests you.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Scroll to any Week 1 college football game that interests you and click to view the popular options.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grips.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grips. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share