grab

1 of 3

verb

grabbed; grabbing

transitive verb

1
: to take or seize by or as if by a sudden motion or grasp
grab up an ax
grabbed the opportunity
grab attention
2
: to take hastily
grab a bite to eat
grab a cab
3
a
: to seize the attention of
the technique of grabbing an audiencePauline Kael
b
: to impress favorably and deeply
4
: to obtain without consideration of what is right or wrong
grab public lands

intransitive verb

: to make a sudden snatch
grabber noun

grab

2 of 3

noun

1
a
: a sudden snatch
b
: an unlawful or unethical seizure
a grab for power
c
: something taken, seized, or grasped suddenly
2
chiefly British
a
: a device for clutching an object

grab

3 of 3

adjective

1
: intended to be taken, seized, or grasped suddenly
a grab rail
2
: taken at random
grab samples of rocks
Phrases
up for grabs
: available for anyone to take, win, or settle
A lot of voters are still up for grabs.
Choose the Right Synonym for grab

take, seize, grasp, clutch, snatch, grab mean to get hold of by or as if by catching up with the hand.

take is a general term applicable to any manner of getting something into one's possession or control.

take some salad from the bowl

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

grasp stresses a laying hold so as to have firmly in possession.

grasp the handle and pull

clutch suggests avidity or anxiety in seizing or grasping and may imply less success in holding.

clutching her purse

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

snatched a doughnut and ran

grab implies more roughness or rudeness than snatch.

grabbed roughly by the arm

Examples of grab in a Sentence

Verb I have to go back in the house and grab my car keys. The little boy grabbed onto his mother's leg and wouldn't let go. I'll grab a taxi and meet you there. Let's grab a bite to eat before the movie starts. The store had a lot of nice stuff, but nothing really grabbed me. The play grabs the audience from the opening scene. One player in particular has been grabbing a lot of attention lately. Noun a political activist who thinks the government's lease of public lands to logging companies amounts to an illegal land grab
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
A couple of months ago, Steve grabbed my face with both hands and kissed me full on the mouth. Amy Dickinson, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 Stanford forward Cameron Brink (22) grabs USC center Clarice Akunwafo (34) while Akunwafo attempts a shot during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 tournament Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. Luca Evans, Orange County Register, 11 Mar. 2024 Just go outside on a warm summer day and grab a big rock that's been sitting in the sun. Rhett Allain, WIRED, 10 Mar. 2024 An officer noticed that the scan showed a hammer inside and attempted to look in the bag, but Snow grabbed it and became combative, police said. Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 In footage of the ceremony, Downey Jr. can be seen grabbing the gold statuette from Quan but seemingly not acknowledging the actor. USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2024 Crews grab from the conveyor early copies being sidelined as waste. Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 Through the years the diner became a popular spot among politicians and the Sacramento community to grab a quick bite. Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 29 Feb. 2024 Cure subsequently turns around, starts grabbing the Taser’s wires and ultimately the deputy’s hand holding the weapon. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024
Noun
The coveted first edition, which will be up for grabs at the upcoming New York International Antiquarian Book Fair for $1.5 million, has been adorned with nearly 30 carats of diamonds and one dazzling sapphire. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 12 Mar. 2024 In the Hawaii caucus, 19 delegates are up for grabs. Hunter Woodall, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2024 Monroe’s voice, face, and mannerisms are all up for grabs to the highest bidder. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 Mar. 2024 As the 2024 election cycle ramps up, the White House has sent a parade of visitors and surrogates through Arizona, which is considered one of the few states up for grabs by both parties in the upcoming presidential race. Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024 Regarding bonuses on this platform, there’s more in the mix for Bitcoin depositors, with a $1,000 Bitcoin bonus promotion up for grabs. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Placer County In Placer County, three county supervisor positions were up for grabs, including an open seat in the 1st District vacated by Bonnie Gore. Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024 Biden has 206 delegates headed into Super Tuesday, with a whopping 1,420 Democratic delegates up for grabs across tonight's elections. Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024 Private messages and personal information are left up for grabs for a variety of nefarious purposes, from impersonation and fraud to pushing misinformation. Dell Cameron, WIRED, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grab.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb, Noun, and Adjective

obsolete Dutch or Low German grabben

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1581, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1c

Adjective

1608, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of grab was circa 1581

Dictionary Entries Near grab

Cite this Entry

“Grab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grab. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

grab

1 of 2 verb
grabbed; grabbing
: to take hastily : clutch, snatch
grabber noun

grab

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: a sudden snatch
b
: an unlawful or forceful taking of something
a land grab
c
: something grabbed
2
: a device for clutching an object

More from Merriam-Webster on grab

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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