as in grip
the act or manner of holding
be careful that your clasp on the cat isn't too tight, or she could get hurt
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to hug
to put one's arms around and press tightly
clasped his long-lost sister and cried without restraint
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to hold
to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms
clasped a crayon and began drawing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clasp
Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
The setup relies on a breakaway safety clasp, a small mechanism engineered to pop open under force to prevent strangulation, like the badge lanyards at any conference.
—Eric Sullivan, Scientific American, 21 Feb. 2026
Julia Shapero, The Hill, 27 Feb. 2026
Yet observers quickly noticed that Altman and Amodei, whose companies are widely viewed as competitors in the race to build advanced AI models, did not clasp hands.
—The Ai Insider, Interesting Engineering, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clasp
Noun
Her little foot bears thousands of minute muscular setae that grip and clasp like the toes of a mighty gecko.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
The setup relies on a breakaway safety clasp, a small mechanism engineered to pop open under force to prevent strangulation, like the badge lanyards at any conference.
—Eric Sullivan, Scientific American, 21 Feb. 2026
Verb
Altman and Amodei notably declined to clasp hands during a group photo shoot at India’s AI summit last week.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 27 Feb. 2026
Yet observers quickly noticed that Altman and Amodei, whose companies are widely viewed as competitors in the race to build advanced AI models, did not clasp hands.
—The Ai Insider, Interesting Engineering, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clasp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clasp
Noun
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Iran has also moved to tighten its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy chokepoint, raising fears of prolonged disruptions to oil and gas shipments.—
Sam Stevenson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
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Some fans are crying their eyes violet over their disappointment, while others are begging critics to get a grip.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The couple hugged, burying their faces in each other’s shoulders.—
Justin Jouvenal,
Washington Post,
1 Apr. 2026
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Bay Harbor consists of two islands hugging the Broad Causeway, which stretches just west of Bal Harbour to North Miami.—
Catherine Odom,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Perry's representative confirmed to USA TODAY on Tuesday that the workers were eventually allowed to hold onto the gift cards after confusion was cleared up.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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However, the Heat holds the tiebreaker, so the Hornets are in 10th place in the conference with six games left.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Basic actions like grasp, place, open, and close are linked to objects or positions, forcing the system to connect decisions with the physical world.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Mar. 2026
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Even if Ohtani doesn’t quite reach Cy Young heights, a fourth straight MVP is well within his grasp.—
D.J. Short,
NBC news,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Now a new generation can cradle their own.—
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
24 Mar. 2026
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Cushion Valuables When Moving There's nothing better to cradle your breakable goods when moving or packing items for storage than a pillow.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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He was never accused of any wrongdoing, and a House Ethics Committee investigation opened in 2021 was closed two years later without any action taken.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi Even if not a huge art buff, take the five minutes to wander to the Contarelli chapel inside this small catholic church which is just a short stroll from the Pantheon.—
CNT Editors,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clasp. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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