snatch 1 of 2

verb

ˈsnach How to pronounce snatch (audio)
Definition of snatchnext
as in to grab
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly the brazen seagull snatched the french fry right from my hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

snatch

2 of 2

noun

slang
as in abduction
the unlawful or forcible carrying away of a person or animal to the police chief, it didn't look like a snatch, but another case of a bride-to-be getting cold feet

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word snatch different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of snatch are clutch, grab, grasp, seize, and take. While all these words mean "to get hold of by or as if by catching up with the hand," snatch suggests more suddenness or quickness but less force than seize.

snatched a doughnut and ran

When is it sensible to use clutch instead of snatch?

The words clutch and snatch can be used in similar contexts, but clutch suggests avidity or anxiety in seizing or grasping and may imply less success in holding.

clutching her purse

How are the words grab and snatch related?

Grab implies more roughness or rudeness than snatch.

grabbed roughly by the arm

When would grasp be a good substitute for snatch?

The words grasp and snatch are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, grasp stresses a laying hold so as to have firmly in possession.

grasp the handle and pull

In what contexts can seize take the place of snatch?

While the synonyms seize and snatch are close in meaning, seize implies a sudden and forcible movement in getting hold of something tangible or an apprehending of something fleeting or elusive when intangible.

seized the suspect

When can take be used instead of snatch?

The meanings of take and snatch largely overlap; however, take is a general term applicable to any manner of getting something into one's possession or control.

take some salad from the bowl

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of snatch
Verb
How could the government just snatch the family’s patriarch and then leave him to a winter night’s mercy? —Dan Barry, New York Times, 12 May 2026 Milan lost 3-2 at home to Atalanta, while Roma snatched a dramatic 3-2 win at Parma. —ABC News, 10 May 2026
Noun
Basically the courts ruled on his actions as a leader and not on the legality of the snatch and grab operation itself. —CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026 And so, the film’s spartan spell is undone by snatches of pedestrian drama and goofy, surreal symbolism. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for snatch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snatch
  1. grab
  2. abduction
  3. catch
  4. rape
  5. seize
  6. kidnapping
  7. hijacking
Verb
  • Denise ascended the stairs, yelling at Djena all the way up, then grabbed Djena by the collar and began hitting her.
    — Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
  • To make one, grab a clean, thick sock (preferably a larger one) and fill it with uncooked rice, oats, or flaxseed.
    — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 18 May 2026
Definition of grab
Noun
  • The Arizona sheriff leading local investigative efforts in the apparent abduction of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie has shared an update on how much communication is happening between law enforcement and Savannah Guthrie's family.
    — KiMi Robinson, USA Today, 18 May 2026
  • Last year, two mass abductions from schools rocked the nation, with over 300 children taken in the northern region.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 May 2026
Definition of abduction
Verb
  • Mauricio Dubón delivered the big blow on another Maton curveball that caught too much plate for a two-run homer.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
  • The pair reportedly were caught in the crossfire as rival groups of men opened fire on each other.
    — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
Definition of catch
Noun
  • The Married at First Sight franchise has been left reeling by allegations of rape from a group of ex-contestants in a new BBC Panorama investigation.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
  • The series will include guests such as Gisèle Pelicot, the French woman who waived her right to anonymity in one of the most horrifying rape cases in history to stand in solidarity with fellow victims.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 19 May 2026
Definition of rape
Verb
  • Photograph courtesy Jennifer Hulse Israel seized control of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank during the Six-Day War, in 1967.
    — Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 15 May 2026
  • Bianco obtained three search warrants and began seizing ballots in February, despite being ordered by Attorney General Rob Bonta to pause the investigation.
    — James Ward, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Definition of seize
Noun
  • The case of Sherri Papini, the young woman who shocked the nation with a multi-year kidnapping hoax, has been the subject of multiple documentaries since her conviction in 2022.
    — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 15 May 2026
  • Federal authorities describe TdA as a sprawling transnational organization involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and killings across Latin America and increasingly inside the United States.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 15 May 2026
Definition of kidnapping
Noun
  • Nothing too extreme thus far — no darkness retreat, ayahuasca journey or draft-night hijacking — but still, enough to make the Steelers feel just a bit uneasy.
    — Michael Silver, New York Times, 12 May 2026
  • The hijacking of humanitarian aid convoys by Hamas and armed gangs prevented the civilian population from receiving food and medicines.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
Definition of hijacking

Browse Nearby Words

snarly
snatch
snatched
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Snatch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snatch. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on snatch

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about snatch

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