grab 1 of 2

verb

ˈgrab How to pronounce grab (audio)
Definition of grabnext
as in to snatch
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly don't grab my arm like that

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grab

2 of 2

noun

as in theft
an instance of theft a political activist who thinks the government's lease of public lands to logging companies amounts to an illegal land grab

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of grab are clutch, grasp, seize, snatch, and take. While all these words mean "to get hold of by or as if by catching up with the hand," grab implies more roughness or rudeness than snatch.

grabbed roughly by the arm

When can clutch be used instead of grab?

Although the words clutch and grab have much in common, clutch suggests avidity or anxiety in seizing or grasping and may imply less success in holding.

clutching her purse

In what contexts can grasp take the place of grab?

In some situations, the words grasp and grab are roughly equivalent. However, grasp stresses a laying hold so as to have firmly in possession.

grasp the handle and pull

Where would seize be a reasonable alternative to grab?

The words seize and grab can be used in similar contexts, but 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

How do snatch and seize relate to one another, in the sense of grab?

Snatch suggests more suddenness or quickness but less force than seize.

snatched a doughnut and ran

When could take be used to replace grab?

The words take and grab are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 grab
Verb
Northwestern’s Nick Martinelli to explore NBA draft Martinelli had a breakout junior season, leading the Big Ten in scoring with 20.5 points per game and grabbing 6.2 rebounds per game. —Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025 Will their top choice be there to grab a ball cap and greeting from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell at No. 31? —Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2025
Noun
In Florida, two deep-red House seats in the state’s 1st and 6th congressional districts are up for grabs. —Julia Manchester, The Hill, 1 Apr. 2025 Reeling from electoral defeat and shocked by the blitz of the Trump administration’s power grabs, politicians and civil society groups are uncertain about the path forward and hesitant to take bold steps. —Laura Gamboa, Foreign Affairs, 31 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grab
  1. snatch
  2. theft
  3. seize
  4. catch
  5. get
  6. capture
  7. land
  8. snag
Verb
  • Guerilla artists, tagging walls at each place ICE has snatched apart families.
    — Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Instead of tackling the berries alone, Rubi’s friend snatched it mid-air so the two of them could share it.
    — Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of snatch
Noun
  • Details of how detectives connected the thefts and closed in on the three men have not been released.
    — Mark Price, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2025
  • California lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are seeking hundreds of millions of state dollars to support the implementation of the state’s new theft and drug treatment law.
    — Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of theft
Verb
  • At that point, Hamas had emerged victorious in elections and seized power amid a violent rift with the PA's leading Fatah faction, still led by Arafat's successor, President Mahmoud Abbas.
    — Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Illinois was among the first states to pass an NIL law, and Kolak was ready to seize the moment.
    — Stacy St. Clair, ProPublica, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of seize
Verb
  • Adames also made one of the finest and best-timed leaping catches from a shortstop that Oracle Park has ever seen, which isn’t a claim that can be thrown around lightly.
    — Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
  • For annuals, catching weeds early can mean the difference between a handful of weeds and thousands of seedlings.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of catch
Verb
  • And Losers Forbes Daily: Join over 1 million Forbes Daily subscribers and get our best stories, exclusive reporting and essential analysis of the day’s news in your inbox every weekday.
    — Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The recovery effort also appears to function as a display of political alliances: the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that emergency responders from China and Russia were allowed to fly into Yangon, while multiple Western aid agencies struggled to get into the country.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of get
Verb
  • Pictures and video of the moment captured the overt display of partisanship in a contest for the state’s highest court.
    — Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 6 Apr. 2025
  • The footage, captured at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, allegedly showed Ventura walking toward a bank of elevators as Combs chased after her, then grabbing her by the neck and tossing her to the floor before turning to violently kick her and grab her purse and suitcase.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of capture
Verb
  • The chopper landed on a riverbank and spoke with a woman who said she had been stranded at the inlet since the day before, officials said.
    — Mitchell Willetts, Sacbee.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Hegseth landed on Iwo Jima, now known as Iwoto, the island where Japanese and American soldiers faced off in one of the war's fiercest battles.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Mar. 2025
Definition of land
Verb
  • In this age of TV dominance of a culture that moves on fast, producers are trying to snag stars at the moment of their peak appeal.
    — Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Head over to Wayfair’s site to snag the luxury lookalike bistro set from Bay Isle Home, or keep scrolling to shop similar styles up to 45 percent off.
    — Megan Schaltegger, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of snag

Phrases Containing grab

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gownsmen
grab
grab bag
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Cite this Entry

“Grab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grab. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.

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