snatch 1 of 2

snatch

2 of 2

noun

slang
as in kidnaping
the unlawful or forcible carrying away of a person or animal to the police chief, it didn't look like a snatch, but another case of a bride-to-be getting cold feet

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of snatch are clutch, grab, grasp, seize, and take. While all these words mean "to get hold of by or as if by catching up with the hand," snatch suggests more suddenness or quickness but less force than seize.

snatched a doughnut and ran

When is it sensible to use clutch instead of snatch?

The words clutch and snatch can be used in similar contexts, 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?

Grab implies more roughness or rudeness than snatch.

grabbed roughly by the arm

When would grasp be a good substitute for snatch?

The words grasp and snatch are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, grasp stresses a laying hold so as to have firmly in possession.

grasp the handle and pull

In what contexts can seize take the place of snatch?

While the synonyms seize and snatch are close in meaning, 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

When can take be used instead of snatch?

The meanings of take and snatch largely overlap; however, 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 snatch
Verb
Take a look and your best guess, but don't snatch all the cards before other people can place their wagers. Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 With the McLaren team giving permission for its drivers to fight it out, Piastri darted in front of Norris at turn three, only for Norris to snatch the lead back at turn four. Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 29 June 2025
Noun
The text, sung by two sopranos, may well have been in Esperanto, as only snatches were decipherable. Alan G. Artner, chicagotribune.com, 4 June 2017 The beat is now peppy with drum and snatches of piano, a common Beatles rhythm. Nicholas Dawidoff, The Atlantic, 18 May 2017 See All Example Sentences for snatch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snatch
Verb
  • Order fish tacos or fresh salads at Bad Boy Burrito; grab at coffee at Cafe Moka; shop for clothing and gifts at Miss Monroe Boutique; and browse the open-air stalls at boo kee sue Botanics for handmade textiles, ceramics, and more.
    Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
  • Pick up seasonal staples like this breezy maxi dress and these Crocs recovery slides to comfortably beat the heat, or grab year-round closet staples like these classic Levi’s jeans and this timeless button-down shirt by Gap.
    Clara McMahon, People.com, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • The goal of catching medical issues early is part of the clinic’s founding ethos.
    Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 10 July 2025
  • So just mainly be ready to catch and shoot whenever.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • In New York City, they are called to investigate the abduction of six newborns from a private hospital.
    Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
  • Tennessee averages 500 to 600 missing children a month, many due to parental abductions or runaways, TBI says.
    Liz Kellar, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Verb
  • Yemen’s war began when the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 10 July 2025
  • One media entrepreneur has already seized part of the Fyre opportunity.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • The show begins in 1989 when five Black and Latino teenagers are wrongfully accused of rape in the Central Park Jogger case.
    Sara Netzley, EW.com, 13 July 2025
  • Corrections officials say two Arkansas prison employees errantly helped Grant Hardin, the former police chief convicted of murder and rape, escape from a prison in May.
    Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 13 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Snatch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snatch. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on snatch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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