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
The smaller, figurative collages are somewhat easier to grasp at first glance.
—
Benjamin Lima
special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
In court, Mickey grasps at straws, trying to clear his name, and in jail, the usually calm, cool and collected attorney is struggling to stay sane.
—Pamela Avila, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
After stuffing the shot, which caromed to the Razorbacks' Nick Pringle, James fell to the floor writhing in pain and grasping at his back.
—Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 21 Jan. 2026
The art historian was grasping at straws.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grasp at
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Benjamin Lima
special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
In court, Mickey grasps at straws, trying to clear his name, and in jail, the usually calm, cool and collected attorney is struggling to stay sane.
—Pamela Avila, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
After stuffing the shot, which caromed to the Razorbacks' Nick Pringle, James fell to the floor writhing in pain and grasping at his back.
—Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 21 Jan. 2026
The art historian was grasping at straws.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grasp at
Cite this Entry
“Grasp at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grasp%20at. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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