1
as in hugging
to put one's arms around and press tightly
clasped his long-lost sister and cried without restraint
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in holding
to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms
clasped a crayon and began drawing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clasping
After arriving on the scene, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey ran toward the sanctuary and was later seen clasping his hands outside on the church steps.
—
Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Parents, some in tears, walked from the school, clasping their kids by the hands or carrying them out on their shoulders.
—Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2025
The two took a few moments to pose on the red – well, beige – carpet together, sharing an embrace, clasping hands and admiring each other's outfits (Johnson was in Gucci).
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
The Everybody's Live with John Mulaney host, 42, sits on the bed, wearing a surgical mask and clasping Munn's hands in his.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Olea stood in the court room Thursday in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs, clasping his own hands.
—Ana Claudia Chacin, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2025
Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Parents, some in tears, walked from the school, clasping their kids by the hands or carrying them out on their shoulders.
—Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2025
The two took a few moments to pose on the red – well, beige – carpet together, sharing an embrace, clasping hands and admiring each other's outfits (Johnson was in Gucci).
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
The Everybody's Live with John Mulaney host, 42, sits on the bed, wearing a surgical mask and clasping Munn's hands in his.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Olea stood in the court room Thursday in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs, clasping his own hands.
—Ana Claudia Chacin, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clasping
Verb
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When Frankie finally returned home, Beau couldn't contain his joy, jumping for joy and hugging his best friend.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
31 Aug. 2025
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Layered on top of this is the Northern Sea Route, a shipping lane hugging the Russian coast in the Arctic that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, chops down transit times and helps Moscow transport hydrocarbons to key markets, including in Asia.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In the photo, Elordi stood behind Romy, holding a glass of wine as Romy stuck her tongue out at the camera.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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The Packers controlled the line of scrimmage, holding the league’s top-scoring offense from 2024 to just 13 points.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The difference here is how explicitly that tragedy appears, whereas the director built much of her best work on nuance and suggestion — on the viewer experiencing events rather than fully grasping them.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
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There have been many previous perching drone designs, but these typically have hooks or grasping claws to hold on to branches or powerlines, or use magnets or gecko-like feet to attach to vertical surfaces.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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With more men than women using apps and with women being more discerning, the odds seem to be against men, particularly men who are clinging to unrealistic expectations.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Millennials are currently ruling the tech industry and clinging to their roles as the economy is rocked by uncertainty due to tariffs, inflation increases living expenses, and AI swipes jobs.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The album’s pointed cover, showing a dolorous schoolboy gripping a phone while holding a basketball, hints at the weighty revelations contained therein.—
Will Dukes,
Rolling Stone,
2 Sep. 2025
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Alibaba’s progress in AI—where it is considered among the front-runners in Chinese artificial intelligence development—helped gloss over concerns about the three-way battle gripping online commerce.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Physio Ash Pracy departs while head of women’s physio Amy Cranston is also taking maternity leave on a temporary basis.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
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Kelce then helped the Chiefs by taking one for the team.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clasping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clasping. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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