grasp at

phrasal verb

grasped at; grasping at; grasps at

: to try to take or get (something) in an eager or desperate way

They were ready to grasp at any possible solution.

He grasped at the opportunity to speak with her.

Examples of grasp at in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This represents to me a full circle of dedication to a craft (acting, in this case), grasping at the highest moment and then restarting the process again. —Michael Slenske, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024

There's also a creepy rocking cradle, a bird's egg falling from a tree top and shattering, and long fingers grasping at a pregnant belly. —Lauren Huff, EW.com, 25 Aug. 2023

But a last-act grasp at profundity in Ruth Greenberg’s screenplay feels unearned. —Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2024

Or the time her son grasped at her hand and was puzzled to find only an empty sleeve. —Safak Timur Emin Ozmen, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2024

And the third act hits you like a third martini: You are dragged along on the potent tide, buoyed by memories of former rationality, grasping at understanding. —Raven Smith, Vogue, 3 Jan. 2024

That’s one of the first lessons in poker, and an important concept to grasp at work, too. —Kayla Webster, WSJ, 25 Dec. 2023

Analysts have suggested that Putin was merely taking his time to get a better grasp at the mogul’s enterprises. —Mary Ilyushina, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2023

For the former president, the meeting proved that Putin is struggling in the war and grasping at straws for support. —Alex Hulvalchick, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2023