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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.

“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

The World Cup play-offs start on Thursday with four European spaces up for grabs for this summer's tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

Only a handful of districts are up for grabs this fall.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

The poll, based on interviews with 350 likely voters March 7-9, revealed just how up for grabs the mayoral election is, with less than three months before the primary.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

Mom doesn’t have a favorite, though, which means the spot is up for grabs.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson

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.