grasp
verb (used with object)
to seize and hold by or as if by clasping with the fingers or arms.
was grasping
-
past progressiveof grasp.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Maybe she was grasping for any kind of reassurance.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2023
A case could also be made that this year the organization was grasping for straws in the entire musical/comedy category.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 3, 2021
I chose Gaelic because I am of Irish descent and was grasping for some sort of cultural identity.
From New York Times ● Jul. 3, 2020
“He was grasping at straws and continued to push these ideas for so long,” said Paul Roepe, a malaria scientist at Georgetown University.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 17, 2016
Poppy was grasping the pencil in her fist and making a wild scribble.
From "The City of Ember" by Jeanne DuPrau
