grasp for
phrasal verb
grasped for; grasping for; grasps for
: to try in a desperate or awkward way to get (something)
His sudden decision to quit the race has left his supporters grasping for explanations.
grasping for attention
Examples of grasp for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Even Hanes’s defense lawyer, John Stang, seemed to be grasping for an answer.
—
David Yaffe-Bellany, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
All-Star event for the league, which has been grasping for proverbial straws throughout this decade.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2025
Within the entertainment industry, there have been the prolonged labor strikes, followed by mass layoffs as Hollywood grasps for profit amid shifts in distribution and the onslaught of artificial intelligence.
—Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Jan. 2025
Afterward, people grasp for meaning, but most don’t suddenly have a eureka moment a few days later and then feel fine.
—Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025
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David Yaffe-Bellany, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
All-Star event for the league, which has been grasping for proverbial straws throughout this decade.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2025
Within the entertainment industry, there have been the prolonged labor strikes, followed by mass layoffs as Hollywood grasps for profit amid shifts in distribution and the onslaught of artificial intelligence.
—Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Jan. 2025
Afterward, people grasp for meaning, but most don’t suddenly have a eureka moment a few days later and then feel fine.
—Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grasp for
Cite this Entry
“Grasp for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grasp%20for. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.
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