1
as in suitcases
a bag carried by hand and designed to hold a traveler's clothing and personal articles
she placed her grip in the train's overhead rack and seated herself comfortably
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in grasps
the act or manner of holding
get a better grip on the lid and try to open the jar again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in understandings
the knowledge gained from the process of coming to know or understand something
he has a good grip on basic Spanish grammar and spelling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in controls
the right or means to command or control others
a tyrant that keeps the masses tightly in his grip
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in handles
a part by which an implement is held
bought new pots with heat-resistant grips
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in clutches
to have or keep in one's hands
gripped the handlebars tightly and raced down the hill
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fascinates
to hold the attention of as if by a spell
that true crime story gripped me as much as any whodunit
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in interests
to hold the attention of
that movie will grip any true sports car fan
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in holds
to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms
the baby gripped my fingers and wouldn't let go
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of grips
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
That’s what three old friends were coming to grips with just before this year’s Super Bowl.
—Patrick Whittle, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
With his car in the shop, Audrey drives Eli to work and school and the two grow closer as Audrey comes to grips with an abusive childhood and Eli wrestles with his shady past.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, the rubber grips on the bottom prevent any sliding around.
—Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Feb. 2026
Harlem tenants say the heat in their building has been inconsistent for weeks as a dangerous cold spell grips New York City.
—Kristie Keleshian, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
As fear grips many residents, Minneapolitans have mobilized to help their neighbors through the likes of mutual aid, grocery deliveries, ride shares, and community patrols.
—David Gleisner, Outside, 29 Jan. 2026
The death toll continues to rise as brutal cold grips parts of the South in the wake of a massive winter storm.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2026
Chris Kenning, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
When cold weather grips the South for days on end, the thought of a humid summer gets better and better.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2026
Rubber backing that no longer grips the floor.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 27 Jan. 2026
This shoe is also outfitted with a high-traction outsole that effectively grips the ground for a stable landing every time.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
The bottom of the mat has a textured backing that grips the floor, keeping it in place and preventing slips and falls.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
By equipping a commercial prosthetic with pressure and proximity sensors and training an AI neural network on natural grasping movements, the team created a hand that grips more intuitively and securely.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Dec. 2025
The level of specificity instantly grips me.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025
His older son and partner trail him while his toddler, who barely reaches his father’s hip, grips his hand and stares up at the journalists and security guards surrounding the family.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 1 Dec. 2025
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
That’s what three old friends were coming to grips with just before this year’s Super Bowl.
—Patrick Whittle, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
With his car in the shop, Audrey drives Eli to work and school and the two grow closer as Audrey comes to grips with an abusive childhood and Eli wrestles with his shady past.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, the rubber grips on the bottom prevent any sliding around.
—Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Feb. 2026
Harlem tenants say the heat in their building has been inconsistent for weeks as a dangerous cold spell grips New York City.
—Kristie Keleshian, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
As fear grips many residents, Minneapolitans have mobilized to help their neighbors through the likes of mutual aid, grocery deliveries, ride shares, and community patrols.
—David Gleisner, Outside, 29 Jan. 2026
The death toll continues to rise as brutal cold grips parts of the South in the wake of a massive winter storm.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
The community held a candlelight vigil to pray for Nancy Guthrie's safe return as the baffling case grips the nation.
—Chris Kenning, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
When cold weather grips the South for days on end, the thought of a humid summer gets better and better.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2026
Rubber backing that no longer grips the floor.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 27 Jan. 2026
This shoe is also outfitted with a high-traction outsole that effectively grips the ground for a stable landing every time.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
The bottom of the mat has a textured backing that grips the floor, keeping it in place and preventing slips and falls.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
By equipping a commercial prosthetic with pressure and proximity sensors and training an AI neural network on natural grasping movements, the team created a hand that grips more intuitively and securely.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Dec. 2025
The level of specificity instantly grips me.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025
His older son and partner trail him while his toddler, who barely reaches his father’s hip, grips his hand and stares up at the journalists and security guards surrounding the family.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grips
Noun
-
Long-haul and overnight flights, for example, give thieves ample time and opportunity to peruse through suitcases and personal item bags while passengers are asleep, says Figgins.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
-
For something a little less technical but equally impressive, these suitcases from Arlo Skye, Away, and Monos come highly recommended by Traveler editors.—
Adam Cheung,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Feb. 2026
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
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
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
Noun
-
Door handles should be cleaned and wiped down regularly.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Global Scrutiny Electric handles — which were popularized by Tesla and are now found in dozens of models from many automakers — have attracted global scrutiny in recent months.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Martin Short clutches his laptop walking onto set for Jimmy Kimmel Live!—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Mispelys Salazar clutches a stack of papers close to her chest as bristling wind gusts threaten to send them flying into the air.—
Catherine E. Shoichet,
CNN Money,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
How golfers rely on — and leverage — technology fascinates Skenes, from the numbers culled relative to swing speed and ball flight to how their bodies must be in sync to generate so much club speed.—
Tribune News Service,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2026
-
What fascinates me as a writer is what is sometimes left out of the historical record, what gets tucked away in odd places.—
Stuart Miller,
Oc Register,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
What, other than money, interests the Bears?—
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Pick a topic that interests you, and look for book recommendations made by experts in that field to work out which reads are worth your valuable time.—
Barnaby Lashbrooke,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grips.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grips. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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