grabby

American  

[grab-ee] / ˈgræb i /

adjective

grabbier, grabbiest

1. tending to grab or grasp for gain; greedy.

   a grabby ticket scalper.

2. Slang. provoking immediate attention or interest; arresting.

   a poster with some really grabby artwork.

3. having a capacity for or tendency toward holding, grasping, or sticking.

   Car tires that are too grabby waste fuel.

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grabby British  

/ ˈɡræbɪ /

adjective

1. greedy or selfish

2. direct, stimulating, or attention-grabbing

   grabbier opening paragraphs

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Etymology

Origin of grabby

First recorded in 1905–10; grab ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grabby grabbier

With “Sheriff Country,” the most popular series on Bruckheimer’s CBS roster, his team spins a grabby tale for 2026 while grinding out the network quota of a 20-episode season.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 7, 2026

He and his team have supercharged his ability to connect too, whether that's with grabby videos on social media or chats on his own podcast.

From BBC ● Jan. 31, 2026

If even that feels grabby, then you can do much with minimal effort by appointing a spokesfriend.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 21, 2022

Don’t muck it up by being grabby now.

From New York Times ● May 5, 2022

He shows me a long metal pole with a grabby claw-thing on the end, a strange little object that looks like a compass, and a handful of plastic bags.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Writer-director Paul Shoulberg effectively captures the spooky, “Shining”-like vibe of Koryta’s story; although given the rich source material, this movie should be a lot grabbier than it is.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 2022

And I’m so sorry you had to rehome your dog as your baby got grabbier.

From Slate ● Nov. 5, 2018

Certainly Earthquake's phony vibes are grabbier than any of the writing or acting, which is perfunctory even by the rather primitive standards of the disaster genre.

From Time Magazine Archive