grab
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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grabs,
present (3rd person singular)
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grabbed,
past participle, past
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grabbing
present participle
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to seize suddenly or quickly; snatch; clutch.
He grabbed me by the collar.
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to take illegal possession of; seize forcibly or unscrupulously.
to grab land.
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to obtain and consume quickly.
Let's grab a sandwich before going to the movie.
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Slang.
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to cause a reaction in; affect.
How does my idea grab you?
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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)
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grabs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
grabbed,
past participle, past
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grabbing
present participle
-
to make a grasping or clutching motion (usually followed byat ).
He grabbed frantically at the life preserver.
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(of brakes, a clutch, etc.) to take hold suddenly or with a jolting motion; catch.
noun
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a sudden, quick grasp or snatch.
to make a grab at something.
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seizure or acquisition by violent or unscrupulous means.
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something that is grabbed.
-
a mechanical device for gripping objects.
-
the capacity to hold or adhere.
The glue was so old it had lost its grab.
idioms
noun
verb
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to seize hold of (something)
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(tr) to seize illegally or unscrupulously
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(tr) to arrest; catch
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(intr) (of a brake or clutch in a vehicle) to grip and release intermittently causing juddering
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informal (tr) to catch the attention or interest of; impress
noun
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the act or an instance of grabbing
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a mechanical device for gripping objects, esp the hinged jaws of a mechanical excavator
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something that is grabbed
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informal available to be bought, claimed, or won
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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grabsimple
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grabssimple
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have grabbedperfect
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has grabbedperfect
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am grabbingprogressive
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are grabbingprogressive
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is grabbingprogressive
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have been grabbingperfect progressive
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has been grabbingperfect progressive
Past
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grabbedsimple
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had grabbedperfect
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was grabbingprogressive
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were grabbingprogressive
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had been grabbingperfect progressive
Future
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!"
Vocabulary lists containing grab
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:
On his first possession in the game, Vanderbilt repeatedly tipped a loose ball up in the air to keep it alive long enough for Austin Reaves to grab an offensive rebound.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
This campaign has been energized by new tactics - including AI videos designed to grab the headlines - and also by a new face.
From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026
Major U.S. indexes whipsawed this week on a grab bag of related anxieties, from soaring oil prices to outsize AI spending and the capital required to foot that bill.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
With one eye on her baby in a pushchair, Minae Kamata operates an arcade machine in a Tokyo suburb, manipulating a claw to grab not a stuffed toy but a pack of toilet paper.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
The floor tilts sideways, and I grab the wall with my free hand to steady myself.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Thirty-five seats are up for grabs in November but analysis by the Cook Political Report suggests that only seven of them are toss-ups that could go either way.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
They share in the struggles of their audience and keep the pool of themes available to comedians varied, interesting and up for grabs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
But there is still AI market share up for grabs.
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
After which, the tiara and the title are up for grabs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
I hug her goodbye, and Avery grabs my hand.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
In the replica Times Square, building-sized screens cast windows of light as people grabbed elaborate drinks made with iced tea, coffee or hibiscus.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
We grabbed a cab to Sake Bar Decibel, a Japanese speakeasy-eatery in the East Village that once stayed open to 3 a.m.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
Here’s what’s grabbed my attention: Thursday’s tech takedown, and a market that’s increasingly splintering.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
I greeted the door woman, bought a bottle of water, grabbed a bar stool against the far wall, and opened the book in progress on my phone until the show started.
From Salon ● Oct. 21, 2026
With one second left to go on the countdown clock, she grabbed my hand as everything went black.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
He added that some had locked themselves in toilets, and others showed "extraordinary bravery" in trying to fend Williams off by grabbing items such as a toaster from the buffet car to protect themselves.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
But the truth is, the two men have a storied on-off relationship that seems to fluctuate based on who’s grabbing the check.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
Here’s how Longworth would spend her perfect Sunday in L.A., from a stroll down Mulholland Drive to grabbing a cup of frozen yogurt with a cinematic spin.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
When the knife fell flat across the basket, the robot’s hands had difficulty grabbing the thin piece of metal.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
In a surprising gesture of kindness, he pats me on the shoulder before grabbing a drink from the fridge and retreating back into the basement.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
