as in greedy
having or marked by an eager and often selfish desire especially for material possessions
a grasping person who would rather buy a car he didn't need than give a dime to charity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in understanding
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 clasping
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 holding
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 knowing
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
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Recent Examples of grasping
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
In this war lawyers invariably are depicted as soulless and grasping ambulance-chasers unconcerned about their clients’ welfare, and businesses as, well, soulless, grasping and unconcerned about their customers.
—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Jan. 2026
The grasping big toe also suggested this human relative spent more time in the trees.
—
CBS News,
26 Nov. 2025
The father, Fyodor Karamazov, is a grasping, lecherous, deceitful, and shameless widower.
—
Karl Ove Knausgaard,
New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2025
Engineers still struggle to replicate a grasping human hand, or the hand-eye coordination of a human brain.
—
Natan Linder,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Multiplied across numerous markets in every state, the LIHTC fuels more and more grasping for cash instead of reductions to make housing easier to create.
—
Roger Valdez,
Forbes,
6 Nov. 2024
Bob Brody,
New York Daily News,
21 June 2026
The initiative aims to address one of industrial robotics’ biggest challenges—grasping and manipulation—while improving automation capabilities and potentially reducing engineering time for handling applications by up to 30 percent.
—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
16 June 2026
On a Saturday afternoon in Nuuk, Greenland, last March, a thousand people walked down toward the harbor, to a small red cabin that bore the Great Seal of the United States—an eagle grasping an olive branch in one foot and thirteen arrows in the other.
—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
McAfee, not fully grasping why people would want to drink milk that was unpasteurized, nonetheless went to his silo, filled half-gallon containers and packed them in ice chests.
—
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
The tip works best for grasping thick hairs that might crop up at the chin (IYKYK) and will successfully pull them out without much irritation or redness.
—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
10 June 2026
Humanoid robots struggling with tasks like grasping a cup have a new teacher — a person wearing an ultrasound wristband that captures the movement of muscles, tendons and ligaments beneath the skin.
—
ABC News,
9 June 2026
McAfee, not fully grasping why people would want to drink milk that was unpasteurized, nonetheless went to his silo, filled half-gallon containers and packed them in ice chests.
—
Annie Waldman,
ProPublica,
9 June 2026
In the bottom of the 10th with two on and two out, grasping an 11-9 lead, Georgia reliever Justin Byrd toed the rubber ahead in the count 1-2 to Mississippi State’s Jacob Parker.
—
Hunter Delauder,
AJC.com,
8 June 2026
Adjective
My hope is tenuous, grasping; scar tissue from 108 years of futility is never fully salved.
—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
In this war lawyers invariably are depicted as soulless and grasping ambulance-chasers unconcerned about their clients’ welfare, and businesses as, well, soulless, grasping and unconcerned about their customers.
—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Jan. 2026
The grasping big toe also suggested this human relative spent more time in the trees.
—
CBS News,
26 Nov. 2025
The father, Fyodor Karamazov, is a grasping, lecherous, deceitful, and shameless widower.
—
Karl Ove Knausgaard,
New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2025
Engineers still struggle to replicate a grasping human hand, or the hand-eye coordination of a human brain.
—
Natan Linder,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Multiplied across numerous markets in every state, the LIHTC fuels more and more grasping for cash instead of reductions to make housing easier to create.
—
Roger Valdez,
Forbes,
6 Nov. 2024
Verb
But the combatants kept grasping and tugging each other off-balance.
—
Bob Brody,
New York Daily News,
21 June 2026
The initiative aims to address one of industrial robotics’ biggest challenges—grasping and manipulation—while improving automation capabilities and potentially reducing engineering time for handling applications by up to 30 percent.
—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
16 June 2026
On a Saturday afternoon in Nuuk, Greenland, last March, a thousand people walked down toward the harbor, to a small red cabin that bore the Great Seal of the United States—an eagle grasping an olive branch in one foot and thirteen arrows in the other.
—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
McAfee, not fully grasping why people would want to drink milk that was unpasteurized, nonetheless went to his silo, filled half-gallon containers and packed them in ice chests.
—
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
The tip works best for grasping thick hairs that might crop up at the chin (IYKYK) and will successfully pull them out without much irritation or redness.
—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
10 June 2026
Humanoid robots struggling with tasks like grasping a cup have a new teacher — a person wearing an ultrasound wristband that captures the movement of muscles, tendons and ligaments beneath the skin.
—
ABC News,
9 June 2026
McAfee, not fully grasping why people would want to drink milk that was unpasteurized, nonetheless went to his silo, filled half-gallon containers and packed them in ice chests.
—
Annie Waldman,
ProPublica,
9 June 2026
In the bottom of the 10th with two on and two out, grasping an 11-9 lead, Georgia reliever Justin Byrd toed the rubber ahead in the count 1-2 to Mississippi State’s Jacob Parker.
—
Hunter Delauder,
AJC.com,
8 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grasping
Adjective
-
The Sudanese conflict has conscripted the neighboring countries who are selfishly courting either faction for resources or political standing, as well as greedy, exploitative foreign powers who repeatedly leverage religious and cultural tensions in the region, into the fight for profit.
-
Next to him were Brad Lander, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez, all left-leaning candidates running on a platform that includes abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and taking on bad landlords and greedy corporations.
Verb
-
Those worries make sense, and understanding how bird flu spreads and what to watch for is the best way to protect your flock and yourself.
-
Why The Old Approach No Longer Works The old playbook assumed that cultural knowledge was scarce, international interactions were occasional, and understanding national norms was the primary challenge.
Verb
-
Aabria, by contrast, leans on personality and connection, clasping hands with the jurors and complimenting them before calmly lying about the rules of the bra contest and her victory.
-
The cap’s crown is decorated with three clasping hands symbolizing unity and brotherhood.
Verb
-
After holding the majors’ worst record for much of the current season, the Angels are tied for last in the AL standings at 34-48 heading into their game against the Athletics on Friday night at Angel Stadium.
-
According to Atwal, the Gartner analyst, the rising costs could lead to consumers holding onto their devices longer, leading to fundamental changes to upgrade cycles for products such as smartphones.
Verb
-
Marketing has always required senior-level judgment and knowing which levers to pull, why and when.
-
This reportedly includes not giving guests many details about the wedding, with people invited instructed to arrive in New York, without knowing when and where the wedding will be.
Adjective
-
Brown, though, is in the prime of his career and no doubt eager to prove the Celtics wrong for trading him after a decade in Boston.
-
Up in arms about the way the government has been controlling the food supply, the common folk are eager to test their newfound democratic power.
Verb
-
People remained on the streets for hours, some sitting on the ground hugging pets as dust gathered around them.
-
Up in the stands, the Weahs lost their minds, cheering and hugging everyone in sight, the famous George Weah included.
Verb
-
The current leadership uncertainty gripping the ruling Labour Party is arguably just the latest iteration of the turmoil that Brexit inserted into the heart of British politics.
-
The velvet coating does a better job of gripping slippery fabrics and delicate garments than plastic or metal alternatives.
Cite this Entry
“Grasping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grasping. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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