grasp
verb
\ Ëgrasp
\
\
grasped;
grasping;
grasps
Definition of grasp
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to make the motion of seizing : clutch
grasping for support
1
: to take or seize eagerly
grasp the opportunity for advancement
2
: to clasp or embrace especially with the fingers or arms
grasped the pen and began writing
3
: to lay hold of with the mind : comprehend
failed to grasp the danger of the situation
grasp at straws
grasp the nettle
: to reach for or try anything in desperation
: to act boldly
grasp
nounDefinition of grasp (Entry 2 of 2)
3a
: the reach of the arms
The books on the top shelf were beyond my grasp.
b
: the power of seizing and holding or attaining
success lay within their grasp
4
: mental hold or comprehension especially when broad
a remarkable grasp of the subject
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Other Words from grasp
Verb
graspable
\ Ëgra-spÉ-bÉl
\
adjective
\
adjective
grasper
noun
Examples of grasp in a Sentence
Verb
I grasped the end of the rope and pulled as hard as I could. I grasped the rope by its end. His arthritis is so bad he can barely grasp a pencil.Noun
The author shows a weak grasp of military strategy. The books on the top shelf are just beyond my grasp. She moved the toy to within the baby's grasp. She felt the solution was within her grasp.
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Presumably, his second offseason with the 49ers also allowed him to fully grasp Kyle Shanahanâs complicated offense. — Harold Gutmann, The Mercury News, "49ersâ Garoppolo has led through humility, all the way back to high school," 27 Aug. 2019 Phillips, now 38, didn't fully grasp the magnitude of the shooting until the next day. — Jeff Roberson, Fortune, "In Ferguson, Varying Views on the Legacy of Aug. 9, 2014," 9 Aug. 2019 To fully grasp the monumental changes in Alabamaâs beer laws over the last decade, take a look inside Good People Brewing Co. — Eric Velasco, al.com, "How Free the Hops changed the state of Alabama beer," 10 June 2019 The intelligence community didnât fully grasp the Russian influence operation to denigrate Democrat Hillary Clinton and boost Mr. Trump until months after the 2016 election. — Robert Mcmillan, WSJ, "Russian Hackers Largely Skipped the Midterms, and No One Really Knows Why," 12 Nov. 2018 As council members expanded their questioning of Munster and Stallworth, Munster admitted there were concerns that the finance department had not fully grasped the features of City Hall's computer system that tracks permits. — Kevin Litten, NOLA.com, "Stacy Head gets booze permits moved from agency she calls 'inept,' possibly corrupt," 20 Apr. 2018 According to psychologists, the vast majority of children grasp the concept of lying by age four. — Washington Post, "âTelling Liesâ: One of the most brilliant video games of the year," 23 Aug. 2019 Sometimes, people grasp an opportunity and wrestle their way to wealth. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Once a broke surfer, this San Diego entrepreneur built dream life on an $800 investment," 16 Aug. 2019 To start, Ballmer didnât fully grasp how the leagueâs 30 franchises shared revenue. — Andrew Greif, Los Angeles Times, "Steve Ballmerâs âjuicedâ enthusiasm for Clippers is helping transform team," 9 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Atwoodâs best novels bring to bear a psychologistâs grasp of deep, interior forces and a mad scientistâs knack for conceptual experiments that can draw these forces out into the open. — Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, "Margaret Atwood Expands the World of âThe Handmaidâs Taleâ," 5 Sep. 2019 Lladrovci couldnât understand Arabic and had only a frail grasp of the theological niceties that divided Sunni from Shia. — The Economist, "Confessions of an Islamic State fighter," 16 Aug. 2019 Football, baseball and basketball fans donât quite grasp competing in ancillary tournaments while their regular season is still going on. — Mike Bianchi, Pro Soccer USA, "Atlanta United crushes Orlando Cityâs dreams â again," 8 Aug. 2019 Made a position switch last year at mid-season and has gotten a great grasp of the system. — Richard Obert, azcentral, "Arizona high school football players on verge of breaking out in 2019," 24 July 2019 Hoyer is a solid backup with an excellent grasp of this offense and a pretty good knowledge of a lot of other schemes, too. — Jim Mcbride, BostonGlobe.com, "With oodles of talent and depth, there will be plenty of interesting position battles during Patriots training camp," 22 July 2019 Lodolo and his team next hope to study the gas being emitted from these systems to get a better grasp on their source. — National Geographic, "Six underwater volcanoes found hiding in plain sight," 2 Aug. 2019 Behind the scenes, arts and civic officials have been trying to get a grasp on exactly how much more money is needed â and where that money would come from. — Matthew J. Palm, orlandosentinel.com, "Orlando arts groups worry theyâll be priced out of Dr. Phillipsâ new Steinmetz Hall," 24 July 2019 Nobody outside the White House or the National Park Service seems to have a firm grasp of the plan, and neither of those entities is talking. — USA TODAY, "Pride pickup, sphinx on move, Tony Starkâs cabin: News from around our 50 states," 13 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'grasp.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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