grasping

American

[gras-ping, grahs-] / ˈgræs pɪŋ, ˈgrɑs- /

adjective

greedy; avaricious.

a sly, grasping man.

Synonyms:

venal, acquisitive, selfish, covetous
being used to grasp or tending to grasp; tenacious.

grasping British

/ ˈɡrɑːspɪŋ /

adjective

greedy; avaricious; rapacious

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of grasping

First recorded in 1540–50; grasp + -ing ²

Vocabulary lists containing grasping

Greedy

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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.

Grasping the essence of Anthony Head’s magnetism boils down to knowing the tale of two Ruperts.

From Salon • Jun. 12, 2026

Grasping a pair of dark grey trousers, it raised its upper body to stretch the fabric taut, before laying it flat and arranging it into neat halves.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

"Grasping all of that in the span of a year when it is the biggest year of my life going into university was a struggle," she said.

From BBC • Oct. 6, 2025

Grasping the railing with one hand and the meals with the other, she inches her way up the stairs in her slippers to one individual’s apartment.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 4, 2024

Grasping a hanging rope he began hauling himself up, claw over claw.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023