grab
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
grabs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
grabbed,
past participle, past
-
grabbing
present participle
-
to seize suddenly or quickly; snatch; clutch.
He grabbed me by the collar.
-
to take illegal possession of; seize forcibly or unscrupulously.
to grab land.
-
to obtain and consume quickly.
Let's grab a sandwich before going to the movie.
-
Slang.
-
to cause a reaction in; affect.
How does my idea grab you?
-
to arouse the interest or excitement of.
The book was O.K., but it just didn't grab me.
-
verb (used without object)
-
grabs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
grabbed,
past participle, past
-
grabbing
present participle
-
to make a grasping or clutching motion (usually followed byat ).
He grabbed frantically at the life preserver.
-
(of brakes, a clutch, etc.) to take hold suddenly or with a jolting motion; catch.
noun
-
a sudden, quick grasp or snatch.
to make a grab at something.
-
seizure or acquisition by violent or unscrupulous means.
-
something that is grabbed.
-
a mechanical device for gripping objects.
-
the capacity to hold or adhere.
The glue was so old it had lost its grab.
idioms
noun
verb
-
to seize hold of (something)
-
(tr) to seize illegally or unscrupulously
-
(tr) to arrest; catch
-
(intr) (of a brake or clutch in a vehicle) to grip and release intermittently causing juddering
-
informal (tr) to catch the attention or interest of; impress
noun
-
the act or an instance of grabbing
-
a mechanical device for gripping objects, esp the hinged jaws of a mechanical excavator
-
something that is grabbed
-
informal available to be bought, claimed, or won
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
grabsimple
-
grabssimple
-
have grabbedperfect
-
has grabbedperfect
-
am grabbingprogressive
-
are grabbingprogressive
-
is grabbingprogressive
-
have been grabbingperfect progressive
-
has been grabbingperfect progressive
Past
-
grabbedsimple
-
had grabbedperfect
-
was grabbingprogressive
-
were grabbingprogressive
-
had been grabbingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of grab1
First recorded in 1580–90; cognate with Middle Dutch, Middle Low German grabben, Swedish grabba
Origin of grab2
First recorded in 1670–80; from Arabic ghurāb literally, “raven”
Explanation
When you grab something, you clutch at it. When a party-goer breaks open a piñata, the other guests usually grab wildly at the candy that cascades out of it. You can grab for the string of a balloon as it floats away, or grab your friend in a hug. Another way to grab is to make an impression: "When I hear a marching band, it grabs my attention." A "grab bag" is a random mixture of things, or a bag of goodies you can reach into and grab from. If something's "up for grabs." it's available: "This last piece of pie is up for grabs!"
Vocabulary lists containing grab
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:
Few have gone as far as British rock group Suede, whose frontman Brett Anderson leapt over a barricade during a 2023 performance in Singapore to grab at fans' phones.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Julie Johnson, a 58-year-old event planner, discovered the app about three years ago as a place to grab deals on designer fashion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Skubal retired the first six batters he faced, with the help of a sliding catch by center fielder Andy Pages and a diving grab by right fielder Kyle Tucker.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
"It's really important - that when somebody else tries to grab the microphone and diminish what you're doing - you grab it back."
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
I grab it and stick it in my pocket and walk Mav out into the night for the last time.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Last year’s event offered a golf-record $50 million, while this season’s was supposed to have $40 million up for grabs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Phil Foden, Josko Gvardiol and Antoine Semenyo provide the experience to a group of players that contains a number from the elite development squad and with opportunities up for grabs.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Australian creative content was not "up for grabs", Albanese said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
It’s the “remarkable structural repricing” of Japan, though, that grabs the attention.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
“Yeah, you won’t know for sure until it’s midnight and your foot is hanging off the bed. If something grabs it? Haunting. Easy to tell.”
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
CHICAGO—When Maria Moctezuma learned that a project on busy Archer Avenue would replace on-street parking with bike lanes and reduce traffic from two lanes to one, she mobilized residents and grabbed a bullhorn to protest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
In January, he grabbed a double in a 3-1 Champions League win over Manchester City and the following week netted again in a 2-1 victory at Atletico Madrid.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
They snatched real credentials, sneaked around in different systems and eventually grabbed at least some of the information they were after.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
He grabbed his son Eric’s hand to shake it and walked out to trash the judge and the proceedings, which he’d soon appeal.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
Clare grabbed Nine, lifting him to peer straight into his beady eyes.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
The alternative to grabbing market share is costly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
His films are designed to be all-consuming experiences, opening in media res, grabbing the viewer by the ankle and dragging them into action already in progress.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
France ran out comfortable 3-0 winners, Zidane netting twice and Emmanuel Petit grabbing a late third.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
However, grabbing the last “6% to 8%” of that final push higher would open an investor to a potential 25% downside — meaning “the risk/reward on that has gone against you.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
I waited a half second to make sure they disappeared before grabbing Regan’s hand just as Salzburg lunged for us.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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.
