grasp
Americanverb (used with object)
-
grasps,
present (3rd person singular)
-
grasped,
past participle, past
-
grasping
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
grasps,
present (3rd person singular)
-
grasped,
past participle, past
-
grasping
present participle
noun
-
grasps
plural
-
the act of grasping or gripping, as with the hands or arms.
to make a grasp at something.
-
a hold or grip.
to have a firm grasp of a rope.
-
one's arms or hands, in embracing or gripping.
He took her in his grasp.
-
one's power of seizing and holding; reach.
to have a thing within one's grasp.
-
hold, possession, or mastery.
to wrest power from the grasp of a usurper.
- Synonyms:
- clutches
-
mental hold or capacity; power to understand.
- Synonyms:
- comprehension, apprehension, understanding
-
broad or thorough comprehension.
a good grasp of computer programming.
verb
-
to grip (something) firmly with or as if with the hands
-
to struggle, snatch, or grope (for)
-
(tr) to understand, esp with effort
noun
-
the act of grasping
-
a grip or clasp, as of a hand
-
the capacity to accomplish (esp in the phrase within one's grasp )
-
total rule or possession
-
understanding; comprehension
Synonym Usage
See catch. Grasp, reach refer to the power of seizing, either concretely or figuratively. Grasp suggests actually seizing and closing the hand upon something (or, figuratively, thoroughly comprehending something) and therefore refers to what is within one's possession or immediate possibility of possession: a good grasp of a problem; immense mental grasp. Reach suggests a stretching out of (usually) the hand to touch, strike, or, if possible, seize something; it therefore refers to a potentiality of possession that requires an effort. Figuratively, it implies perhaps a faint conception of something still too far beyond one to be definitely and clearly understood.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
graspernoun
-
regraspverb (used with object)
-
graspableadjective
-
grasplessadjective
-
ungraspableadjective
-
ungraspedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
graspsimple
-
graspssimple
-
have graspedperfect
-
has graspedperfect
-
am graspingprogressive
-
are graspingprogressive
-
is graspingprogressive
-
have been graspingperfect progressive
-
has been graspingperfect progressive
Past
-
graspedsimple
-
had graspedperfect
-
was graspingprogressive
-
were graspingprogressive
-
had been graspingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of grasp
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English graspen, grapsen; cognate with Low German grapsen; akin to Old English gegræppian “to seize” ( see grapple)
Explanation
To grasp is to get a hold of something, literally or figuratively. Grasp the grammar textbook with both hands and then read it to grasp the rules of the English language. It makes sense that the word grasp means understanding a concept since you are "getting a hold of an idea" just as you would grasp something tangible to hold. Grasp is good for when you're talking about comprehending the scale of something, or the full picture of a multi-faceted problem or idea. You might know that there is going to be a heat wave, but you may not grasp the idea of its relationship to global warming.
Vocabulary lists containing grasp
"Mending Wall," by Robert Frost
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Beowulf vocabulary
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Excerpt from "The Diary of Anne Frank"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
No other view is so dramatic, or so lucid, for as soon as you see the image you grasp the essential logic of the house: a structure at one with nature.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
The idea is that if the markets have a firm grasp of the Fed’s game plan, then they could react to the data.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026
José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones, the new owners of the San Diego Padres, are looking to build a winner who can grasp a World Series title, and beat L.A.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
Hayes said on BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster on Tuesday that the response from Sir Chris was "quite vague for anybody to be able to grasp".
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
Lily breaks away from her mother’s grasp and scampers down the hallway.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
A poolside interlude channels the tension of distance between two people who were once close: The woman grasps a book but seems primarily absorbed in melancholy; the man broods around her.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
How important is it to you that the listener grasps everything that’s going on in your music?
From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026
Although she grasps the issues that can arise with the product, she says, most of her life is pretty well documented anyway.
From Slate ● Feb. 12, 2026
She also grasps that comedy reigns on the Internet.
From Salon ● Nov. 4, 2025
Six hundred feet of hungry air grasps at my legs.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
Emanuel grasped the potential of the diesel engine and secured its patent rights in Russia in 1898.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
They lit candles, grasped rosaries and passed out poster boards and N-95 masks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
"You talk about pressure but they grasped at it, they enjoyed it. They probably shocked the world with that performance."
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026
If you’ve ever fancied a gondola ride through Venice’s famous canals, now might be the time—many Americans have already grasped the opportunity this summer.
From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026
And it may be noted that Oresme had grasped the crucial principle, that a combination of circular movements could produce the appearance of rectilinear movement, apparently independently of any Arabic source.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Brands grasping for attention may also miss a true shift as men go online to learn more about products like cologne than their fathers ever knew, he added.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
“Higher capacity is required for complex transactions like contracts, which require not just grasping the immediate exchange, but also comprehending finer details, consequences and the broader context.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
One reason for the fascination with Musk’s status as a “trillionaire” may be the very human difficulty of grasping such a big number.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
It’s possible to hold on to two truths at once and recognize the distinct unease of such grasping, I told my friend.
From Salon ● May 14, 2026
The emperor’s face was frozen in a glare, and his arms were locked in an empty grip, as if even in his final moments he was grasping.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
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.
