grasp at straws

Idioms  

1. Also, clutch at straws. Make a desperate attempt at saving oneself. For example, He had lost the argument, but he kept grasping at straws, naming numerous previous cases that had little to do with this one. This metaphoric expression alludes to a drowning person trying to save himself by grabbing at flimsy reeds. First recorded in 1534, the term was used figuratively by the late 1600s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grasp at straws

And they grasp at straws to “prove” themselves right.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 27, 2023

You can almost hear the frantic writing of a thousand Apple computers as Carter and his staff grasp at straws to keep their fan base alive.

From Salon ● Feb. 16, 2011

Even great artists grasp at straws for assistance, and it is interesting to know that to Miss Garden a wig is the all important thing.

From Interpreters by Carl Van Vechten

It is said that drowning men will grasp at straws.

From Gifts of Genius A Miscellany of Prose and Poetry by American Authors by Various

This is partly because such parties come into existence to carry out reforms in which they believe women can help, and partly because in their weak state they are ready to grasp at straws.

From The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume IV by Ida Husted Harper