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

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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 Electro in The New Animated Series serves the same purpose as a nerdy friend of Peter, one who has entered college and is grasping for companionship and meaning to his own life. —

Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2025 Investigators grasped for clues for years before indicting the Schweitzers. —

Simon J. Levien, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for grasp for