claw
Americannoun
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a sharp, usually curved, nail on the foot of an animal, as on a cat, dog, or bird.
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a similar curved process at the end of the leg of an insect.
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the pincerlike extremity of specific limbs of certain arthropods.
lobster claws.
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any part or thing resembling a claw, as the cleft end of the head of a hammer.
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Typography. the hooklike projection from the right side of an r or from the bowl of a g.
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(in a motion-picture mechanism) a device having one or two teeth that hook into the perforations of a length of film and move it one frame at a time at any given speed.
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Jewelry. one of a group of slender, tapering metal projections rising from the base of a jewelry setting, used to hold a transparent or faceted gemstone in position.
verb (used with object)
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to tear, scratch, seize, pull, etc., with or as if with claws.
The kitten clawed my sweater to shreds.
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to make by or as if by scratching, digging, etc., with hands or claws.
to claw a hole in the earth.
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to proceed by or as if by using the hands.
He clawed his way through the crowd.
verb (used without object)
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to scratch, tear, or dig with or as if with claws.
The cat clawed and hissed in fear.
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to make fumbling motions.
He clawed at the door. She clawed for the light switch.
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Scot. to scratch gently, as to relieve itching.
verb phrase
noun
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a curved pointed horny process on the end of each digit in birds, some reptiles, and certain mammals
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a corresponding structure in some invertebrates, such as the pincer of a crab
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a part or member like a claw in function or appearance
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botany the narrow basal part of certain petals and sepals
verb
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to scrape, tear, or dig (something or someone) with claws, etc
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(tr) to create by scratching as with claws
to claw an opening
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A sharp, curved nail at the end of a toe of a mammal, reptile, or bird.
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A pincer, as of a lobster or crab, used for grasping.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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clawsimple
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clawssimple
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have clawedperfect
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has clawedperfect
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am clawingprogressive
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are clawingprogressive
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is clawingprogressive
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have been clawingperfect progressive
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has been clawingperfect progressive
Past
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clawedsimple
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had clawedperfect
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was clawingprogressive
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were clawingprogressive
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had been clawingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of claw
First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English clawu; cognate with Old High German chlō(a), akin to Dutch klauw, German Klaue; (verb) Middle English clawen, Old English claw(i)an, derivative of clawu (noun); akin to Dutch klauwen, German klauen
Explanation
The word claw is all about grabbing. It could be a lobster claw or even an ambitious worker clawing his way up the corporate ladder. As a noun, a claw is the pointy finger-like grabbers that birds, insects, and some lizards and mammals have. Machines can have claws too, and maybe you’ve seen the game at an arcade where you make a metal claw pick up a toy. Claw can be a verb as well, meaning to grab, scratch, or pull in a painful and jolting way. Should someone bury you up to your neck in a hole, you’ll have to claw your way out. And you can accidentally claw your date if you grab her arm during a scary movie.
Vocabulary lists containing claw
Beowulf vocabulary
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"Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Both del Toro and Pogacar dropped Vingegaard on Thursday, and while Vingo managed to claw back into second place, del Toro may be the closest rider to Pogacar in the race.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
The new model was flashy, black-light entertainment with thumping music, huge video screens, arcade games and claw machines, along with upscale food and drink at double or triple the prices of standard bowling-alley fare.
From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2026
She keeps her hair off her face and neck by wearing it up in a claw clip.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
SEIU-UHW does not have an estimated total amount the initiative would claw back from pay packages that exceed the limit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
Håkon doodled with one claw in the wet dirt.
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
Fossils suggest Teilhardina differed from other mammals of the time as it had fingernails rather than claws, which helped it grasp branches and handle food – a key characteristic of primates to this day.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 20, 2026
Crew members operating trucks with claws pick up the materials in batches and deposit them on conveyor belts to start the sorting process.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
Aesthetes had been howling about the Freedom 250 set, a soaring, 92-foot tall structure which resembled one of those arcade machine claws in which you try and fail to grab a stuffed hippopotamus.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
As polished as it was quirky, the performance was packed with personality and one of the sharpest hooks to ever sink its claws into the contest.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
The dragon’s claws acted like ramparts, perfect for defense.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
Williams clawed back a few times when she looked good and cooked, and when she did that, she let out a signature Serena “Come on!”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
SK Hynix and Samsung clawed back some of their recent losses in Asian trading.
From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026
Barclays then clawed back 17.8 million British pounds in awards, or about US$24 million, and the U.K. watchdog Financial Conduct Authority fined and banned him from working in financial services.
From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2026
And if there's a shortfall between the amount clawed back by selling these items and the £400,000 total, Murrell would still be liable for that difference.
From BBC ● May 26, 2026
He signals with one clawed hand for Cardan to return to the table.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
Top decision makers instead closed the probe, the people said, opting for a lighter-touch option: clawing back money the company earned from selling formula through federally funded nutrition programs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
However, after clawing her way back to 5-4 from 5-1 down in the tie-break, Raducanu's resistance let up and Sierra secured victory after an hour and 45 minutes.
From BBC ● May 24, 2026
Google Gemini spent the past year clawing its way to a seat at the table alongside OpenAI and Anthropic, but its cutting-edge reputation is facing challenges today.
From MarketWatch ● May 20, 2026
Like a zombie clawing its stiff, cold hand through the dirt of its grave, VHS refuses to die.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026
Faris and Julius lurch to their feet, I shove away from Marcus, and Helene stops clawing at her face.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
