cash grab

noun

plural cash grabs
: the greedy pursuit of an opportunity for making money especially when done without regard for ethics, concerns, or consequences : money grab
Some Republican leaders have also said any attempt to undo the state's flat tax amounts to a cash grab.Steve LeBlanc
… money generated by single-use plastic going onto the market is being swallowed up in a cash grab … with little or no accountability or strategy underpinning it.Adam Leyland
also : something (such as a product or service) used for a cash grab
HBO announced a new Harry Potter TV series, and it is an obvious cash grab that is insulting to true fans. Victor Lana
But is it good enough to satisfy discerning taco-loving hipsters or is it simply a shameless, cultural appropriating cash grab? Joey Morona
It might be more feasible to just give up on college football being anything but a soulless cash grabDavid Schraub

Examples of cash grab in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But fear not, Riley remains as outraged as ever over the exploits of our capitalist society and is far from succumbing to the urge to go for a cash grab. Randy Myers, Mercury News, 19 May 2026 If the critics are right, and the technology turns Hollywood into more of an assembly line for derivative, soulless cash grabs, the same people urging the business to accept AI may regret not putting up a fight. Brent Lang, Variety, 19 May 2026 Phillips praised the Blue Devils for working with ACC television partner ESPN to secure a first-of-its-kind contract that could set a precedent for future cash grabs around the league and maybe the country. Mark Long, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026 Most Presidents save the legacy-building cash grab for their second term, waiting a few months so as to give re-election donors a reprieve. Philip Elliott, Time, 7 May 2026 Building and owning a home has turned from being a reasonable life goal to a complete cash grab by corrupt and mismanaged governments. Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026 The audience leans into legacy appeal, treating the sequel as a cultural reunion rather than a cash grab, with comparisons to long-gestating follow-ups like Top Gun Maverick elevating expectations. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 1 May 2026 If the idea was pitched today, it may have been derided as a cash grab. Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 8 Apr. 2026 Always an artist to follow his muse, the 2023 show felt more like a cash grab, featuring a parade of hits engineered more to please the average Springsteen fan than an artistic journey. David Harris, SPIN, 30 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cash grab was in 1922

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cash grab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cash%20grab. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster