1
as in control
the ability to direct the course of something
The team got out to a big lead and rightly assumed that victory was within their grasp.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grip
the act or manner of holding
during the roller coaster ride, my date clutched my arm with a deathlike grasp
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3
as in understanding
the knowledge gained from the process of coming to know or understand something
I think I finally have a grasp of Spanish grammar
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to understand
to have a practical understanding of
he just doesn't grasp how important it is that he call when he'll be late
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2
as in to hug
to put one's arms around and press tightly
the departing soldier grasped his children a little closer than usual
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3
as in to hold
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 to know
to have a clear idea of
the emergency operator finally grasped what he was trying to tell her
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grasp
Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
Entering Week 10, the Bucs had a strong grasp of the NFC South, with the Carolina Panthers at 5-4, heading into a loss to the 1-8 New Orleans Saints, while the Atlanta Falcons sat at 3-5.
—Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Max Tani, semafor.com, 23 Dec. 2025
Minaj appeared to immediately grasp her flub, covered her face and went silent for several awkward seconds.
—David K. Li, NBC news, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grasp
Noun
Her direct storytelling, and firm grasp on gospel, blues, soul and roots styles, confirm her place as a contemporary spitfire.
—Verb
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the last 24 hours is that Weiss appears not to have totally grasped the firestorm her decision would provoke.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for grasp
Noun
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Take control of your money with CNBC Select CNBC Select is editorially independent and may earn a commission from affiliate partners on links.—
-
Duties include patrolling residential neighborhoods, shopping centers, business parks, schools, local parks and assisting with traffic control, home vacation and elderly welfare checks.—
Noun
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This Lucky Step pair features a genuine suede-and-leather upper, a cushy insole, and a gum sole for no-slip grip.—
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It has also been used to design assistive tools such as finger splints and utensil grips.—
Noun
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Spirit, energy and enthusiasm When there were loud external calls for upgrades at safety in August, head coach Dave Canales firmly backed Scott because of his leadership and understanding of the defense.—
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Tensor said the system emphasizes contextual understanding rather than simple object detection, allowing the AI to adapt to complex and unpredictable real-world driving conditions.—
Verb
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Even though just three can alert to an emergency, many more are needed to understand what is behind those emergencies.—
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Those specifics aside, more stunningly, researchers discovered that these brave, early explorers of new worlds demonstrated a different way of moving than had been previously understood.—
Verb
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The overall pessimism is leading people to stay put in their current jobs out of fear of facing a challenging job market, also known as job hugging.—
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The crowd started kissing and hugging and crying — New Year’s Eve who?—
Verb
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Miami’s first Black Art Basel exhibit was held at the Lyric Theater.—
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He was tagged and pictured holding a skull on the group page, ABC 6 reported.—
Verb
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Peaceful but active, a place where everyone knows everyone and, mostly, everyone cares for everyone else.—
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All of these parks have been known to their communities for their criminal activity and for those of us who grew up playing at these parks, there was never a hint that life could be otherwise.—
Noun
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In a statement, Young expressed appreciation for the restaurant’s place in the city.—
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As a result, your return depends entirely on price appreciation.—
Cite this Entry
“Grasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grasp. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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