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Synonyms

up for grabs

Idioms  

  1. Available to anyone, as in Now that he's resigned, his job is up for grabs. This term alludes to something being thrown in the air for anyone to grasp or catch. [Colloquial; 1920s]

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.

The second week of a blockbuster trial between Elon Musk and Sam Altman kicks off Monday, with the future of OpenAI very much up for grabs.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

It’s not often that the southwest San Fernando Valley has a City Council seat that’s completely up for grabs.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

All 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament are up for grabs when Scotland goes to the polls on 7 May - have you decided which party will get your vote?

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

“These assets could be up for grabs for Delta and other airline, such that it could help level the playing field somewhat,” they added.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

First place was always up for grabs; usually it was Qareeb who claimed the title because he was a bit stronger and faster than the rest of us.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

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.