grab

¹ American  

[grab] / græb /

verb (used with object)

grabbed, grabbing

1. to seize suddenly or quickly; snatch; clutch.

   He grabbed me by the collar.

   Synonyms:

   catch, grip, grasp

2. to take illegal possession of; seize forcibly or unscrupulously.

   to grab land.

3. to obtain and consume quickly.

   Let's grab a sandwich before going to the movie.

4. Slang.

   1. to cause a reaction in; affect.

      How does my idea grab you?

   2. to arouse the interest or excitement of.

      The book was O.K., but it just didn't grab me.

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verb (used without object)

grabbed, grabbing

1. to make a grasping or clutching motion (usually followed byat ).

   He grabbed frantically at the life preserver.

2. (of brakes, a clutch, etc.) to take hold suddenly or with a jolting motion; catch.

noun

1. a sudden, quick grasp or snatch.

   to make a grab at something.

2. seizure or acquisition by violent or unscrupulous means.

3. something that is grabbed.

4. a mechanical device for gripping objects.

5. the capacity to hold or adhere.

   The glue was so old it had lost its grab.

idioms

1. up for grabs, available to anyone willing to expend the energy to get it.

   The Republican nomination for mayor was up for grabs.

grab ² American  

[grab] / græb /

noun

1. a ship having two or three masts with a square rig, common on the Malabar Coast in the 18th and 19th centuries.

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grab British  

/ ɡræb /

verb

1. to seize hold of (something)

2. (tr) to seize illegally or unscrupulously

3. (tr) to arrest; catch

4. (intr) (of a brake or clutch in a vehicle) to grip and release intermittently causing juddering

5. informal (tr) to catch the attention or interest of; impress

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noun

1. the act or an instance of grabbing

2. a mechanical device for gripping objects, esp the hinged jaws of a mechanical excavator

3. something that is grabbed

4. informal available to be bought, claimed, or won

grab More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing grab

• how does that grab you
• up for grabs

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Other Word Forms

• grabbable
  adjective
• grabber
  noun
• ungrabbing
  adjective

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!"

Example Sentences

You told us they wanted to grab board seats in a creeping takeover.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

Last month Takaichi's government relaxed the country's self-imposed rules to allow exports of lethal military hardware, seeking to grab a larger slice of the booming global market.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

"Now it is close to grab it and you can write history again and give the fans moments that will stay with them forever."

From BBC • May 7, 2026

“It was hard to walk. I tried to grab her to go under a table. And it was, like, hard to move and maneuver and we just heard stuff falling,” she told KTVN-TV.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

I missed Rowdy by a good five feet, and had to grab hold of a sapling to keep from falling down.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Related Words

• capture
• catch
• clutch
• grasp
• grip
• seize
• snag
• snatch
• take