1
as in hands
the ability to direct the course of something
for a time it looked like most of Europe would be within Hitler's grasp
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grips
the act or manner of holding
during the roller coaster ride, my date clutched my arm with a deathlike grasp
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in understandings
the knowledge gained from the process of coming to know or understand something
I think I finally have a grasp of Spanish grammar
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in understands
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 clasps
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 holds
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
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4
as in knows
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 grasps
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 13 Jan. 2026
The Hurricanes needed that to happen after the game nearly slipped out of their grasps.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Sep. 2025
Rigid grippers used in existing aerial manipulators require precise positioning to achieve successful grasps and transmit large contact forces that may destabilize the drone.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Mar. 2021
Reylee Billingsley, AZCentral.com, 7 Feb. 2026
The nearly colorless imagery really grasps the soul of the moment and the chill of our wintry days.
—Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
Until the governor’s office grasps the severity of the problem, and until the health insurers are tasked with stopping the fraud, Girand isn’t optimistic there’ll be much change.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 12 Jan. 2026
When the robot successfully grasps a door handle in simulation, that state is saved.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Dec. 2025
The photo shows Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on one knee as Swift grasps his face.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
Valeria finally grasps the extent of Manu’s deception after finding Bea dead in her hotel room.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
In each of these use cases, AI that sorts through appropriate, clean datasets—and grasps the full context of the worker’s role, functions and intentions—is the differentiator in deriving quantifiable value.
—Dan Adika, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Del Mazo grasps the importance of rhythm for the page turn, and her pacing is spot-on.
—Barney Saltzberg, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
Noun
Through universal intelligent manipulation, the robot autonomously plans grasps, adjusts force in real time, and navigates obstacles using seamless hand–eye coordination.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 13 Jan. 2026
The Hurricanes needed that to happen after the game nearly slipped out of their grasps.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Sep. 2025
Rigid grippers used in existing aerial manipulators require precise positioning to achieve successful grasps and transmit large contact forces that may destabilize the drone.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Mar. 2021
Verb
When a word feels too abstract, Jacobs shifts the phrasing, lowers the tempo or elongates a syllable until Siena grasps it.
—Reylee Billingsley, AZCentral.com, 7 Feb. 2026
The nearly colorless imagery really grasps the soul of the moment and the chill of our wintry days.
—Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
Until the governor’s office grasps the severity of the problem, and until the health insurers are tasked with stopping the fraud, Girand isn’t optimistic there’ll be much change.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 12 Jan. 2026
When the robot successfully grasps a door handle in simulation, that state is saved.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Dec. 2025
The photo shows Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on one knee as Swift grasps his face.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
Valeria finally grasps the extent of Manu’s deception after finding Bea dead in her hotel room.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
In each of these use cases, AI that sorts through appropriate, clean datasets—and grasps the full context of the worker’s role, functions and intentions—is the differentiator in deriving quantifiable value.
—Dan Adika, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Del Mazo grasps the importance of rhythm for the page turn, and her pacing is spot-on.
—Barney Saltzberg, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grasps
Noun
-
And while their steamy, sweaty dalliances are hot and heavy (albeit mostly clothed), most swoonworthy are the smaller moments, like Heathcliff gently cupping his hands to keep the rain out of Cathy’s eyes.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Dodds and Mouat, who entered the field as favorites, shook hands with the Wrana siblings with one end still to play.—
JULIA FRANKEL,
Arkansas Online,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As the rock glided down the ice sheet, Casper and his teammates slowly started to come to grips with the reality of the situation.—
Dane Mizutani,
Twin Cities,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Many had dual citizenship, a remnant of the time, not so long ago, when Venezuela was the prosperous and stable oil-rich country next door, while Colombia was in the grips of an intractable and deteriorating crisis.—
Daniel Alarcón,
New Yorker,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Gelb said the broad crime rate decreases have made some criminologists question historic understandings of what drives trends in violent crime and how to battle it.—
Claudia Lauer,
Fortune,
22 Jan. 2026
-
And as states started to abandon Common Core, school controversies began to focus less on standards and achievement than on competing understandings of America itself.—
Jonathan Zimmerman,
The Atlantic,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Donovan understands the importance of building a roster the right way.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Veteran shoe designer Paul Andrew understands the challenges of winning in a competitive luxury footwear sector.—
Katie Abel,
Footwear News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Lindo laughs, clasps his hands together and raises them.—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Keeping that hardshell closed is a pair of wide, beefy aluminum latches with a lower swing arm that clasps to a closure bar via a pair of hooks.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Malinin holds just more than a five-point lead over his biggest rival, Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama, with scores from both the short program and free skate added together to determine a winner.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
-
According to chief customer officer Brie Carere, FedEx currently holds a 12 percent share in the $22 billion premium air freight market.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
And by now everybody knows our crew runs the tightest and deadliest ship on the water.—
Alex Suskind,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Nobody quite knows what happens to volumes if a drug price is cut, Rothschild & Co Redburn analyst Simon Baker told CNBC.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In China, once a major market for Nvidia, US tech controls have restricted exports of its cutting-edge chips, significantly impacting sales in the world’s second largest economy.—
Rosa de Acosta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The hazardous conditions could make travel difficult with delays and chain controls.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grasps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grasps. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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