grasped; grasping; grasps
: to make the motion of seizing : clutch
grasping for support
1
: to take or seize eagerly
grasp the opportunity for advancement
2
: to clasp or embrace especially with the fingers or arms
grasped the pen and began writing
3
: to lay hold of with the mind : comprehend
failed to grasp the danger of the situation
grasper
noun
3
a
: the reach of the arms
The books on the top shelf were beyond my grasp.
b
: the power of seizing and holding or attaining
success lay within their grasp
4
: mental hold or comprehension especially when broad
a remarkable grasp of the subject
Synonyms
Examples of grasp in a Sentence
Verb
I grasped the end of the rope and pulled as hard as I could.
I grasped the rope by its end.
His arthritis is so bad he can barely grasp a pencil.
Noun
The author shows a weak grasp of military strategy.
The books on the top shelf are just beyond my grasp.
She moved the toy to within the baby's grasp.
She felt the solution was within her grasp.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 21 Nov. 2024
Ty still doesn’t fully grasp what happened to him, and why.
—Aliyya Swaby, ProPublica, 13 Nov. 2024
Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
The means for gracefully transitioning to a clean energy American economy is well within our grasp — by mid-century.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grasp 
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Verb
Unlike the clawed animals that also climb, primates rely on opposable toes and thumbs to grasp with whole feet and hands.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 21 Nov. 2024
Ty still doesn’t fully grasp what happened to him, and why.
—Aliyya Swaby, ProPublica, 13 Nov. 2024
Noun
The show’s vibrant aesthetic and period pop score, meanwhile, provide a nostalgia trip to the early 2000s — while not shying away from what the era’s headlong embrace of social media did to our grasp on collective truth.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
The means for gracefully transitioning to a clean energy American economy is well within our grasp — by mid-century.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grasp
Dictionary Entries Near grasp
Cite this Entry
“Grasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grasp. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
grasp
1 of 2 verb1
: to make the motion of seizing : clutch
grasp at straws
2
: to clasp or embrace with or as if with the fingers or arms
3
: to lay hold of with the mind : comprehend
failed to grasp its importance
grasper
noun
grasp
2 of 2 noun1
2
: control entry 2 sense 1, hold
land in the grasp of a tyrant
3
a
: the reach of the arms
the tree limb was beyond my grasp
b
: the power of seizing and holding
success lies within their grasp
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