reach for

phrasal verb

reached for; reaching for; reaches for

1

: to move one's hand in order to get or touch (someone or something)

She reached for the salt and pepper.

He reached into his pocket for a dime.

2

: to try hard to achieve or succeed at (something)

Success won't come to you, you have to reach for it.

Examples of reach for in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

DeRozan is seen reaching for the legs of the other man, who was lying on the floor inside the restaurant. —Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 19 Apr. 2025

Some of us even literally reach for the stars (astronaut Amanda Nguyen). —Lauren Vuong, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025

However, the Colts shouldn't reach for a passer just for the sake of taking one. —Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025

Photo illustration by Beck Harlan/NPR When hit with a headache or fever, people often reach for over-the-counter painkillers like acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as their first line of defense. —Andee Tagle, NPR, 18 Apr. 2025

Rhymes for reach for

• abhor
• abor
• adore
• afore
• ardour
• ashore
• backdoor
• before
• bookstore
• candour
• centaur
• claymore