as in seizes
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly don't grab my arm like that
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of grabs
Naveen Dhaliwal, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026 The zookeeper grabs him and delivers the line of the year. —Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026 At one point in the video, Rodrigo grabs her guitar and performs with her bandmates in the stunning venue. —Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026 Keep those rosary beads handy whenever Aaron Gordon grabs his hammy. —Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026 Fast-paced and addictive, her writing grabs you from the get-go, taking you on a wild roller-coaster ride that delivers one whiplash plot twist after another. —E.l. James, Time, 15 Apr. 2026 Ellie grabs the wrong squeeze bottle and drizzles the eggs with dish soap instead. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026 Think about how many times a day everyone in your household touches a light switch or grabs the remote. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026 Frank Ramsey leads the Celtics with 24 points and Bill Russell scores 22 points and grabs 35 rebounds. —Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Grace Hase, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026 Interestingly, Governors Weld, Romney and Baker were elected when the incumbent governor, with all the power of the office, did not see re-election and the office was up for grabs. —Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026 Commissioner Ariel Fernandez’s Group 5 seat will also be up for grabs, and so far, no one has signed up to run. —Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026 The Formula 1 Solargraph lineup, each sitting at 38 mm, will officially be up for grabs worldwide in May, just in time for the Miami Grand Prix and a bit of warm-weather pizazz on your wrist. —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2026 Seats one, three and five are up for grabs in November 2026, and those elected will serve four-year terms, with elections continuing every two years to match statewide general election dates in even years. —James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026 Swalwell denied the allegations, only to drop out of the race shortly after, leaving the group’s endorsement up for grabs. —Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 15 Apr. 2026 The position remains up for grabs because of inconsistency. —Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026 The Emmys are back up for grabs. —Clayton Davis, Variety, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
Ebuehi starts to drive away as the officer reaches out and grabs Ebuehi and the scooter. —Naveen Dhaliwal, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026 The zookeeper grabs him and delivers the line of the year. —Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026 At one point in the video, Rodrigo grabs her guitar and performs with her bandmates in the stunning venue. —Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026 Keep those rosary beads handy whenever Aaron Gordon grabs his hammy. —Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026 Fast-paced and addictive, her writing grabs you from the get-go, taking you on a wild roller-coaster ride that delivers one whiplash plot twist after another. —E.l. James, Time, 15 Apr. 2026 Ellie grabs the wrong squeeze bottle and drizzles the eggs with dish soap instead. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026 Think about how many times a day everyone in your household touches a light switch or grabs the remote. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026 Frank Ramsey leads the Celtics with 24 points and Bill Russell scores 22 points and grabs 35 rebounds. —Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
At the same time, the four Democrats were looking for their breakout moment with the race’s frontrunner status still up for grabs. —Grace Hase, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026 Interestingly, Governors Weld, Romney and Baker were elected when the incumbent governor, with all the power of the office, did not see re-election and the office was up for grabs. —Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026 Commissioner Ariel Fernandez’s Group 5 seat will also be up for grabs, and so far, no one has signed up to run. —Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026 The Formula 1 Solargraph lineup, each sitting at 38 mm, will officially be up for grabs worldwide in May, just in time for the Miami Grand Prix and a bit of warm-weather pizazz on your wrist. —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2026 Seats one, three and five are up for grabs in November 2026, and those elected will serve four-year terms, with elections continuing every two years to match statewide general election dates in even years. —James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026 Swalwell denied the allegations, only to drop out of the race shortly after, leaving the group’s endorsement up for grabs. —Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 15 Apr. 2026 The position remains up for grabs because of inconsistency. —Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026 The Emmys are back up for grabs. —Clayton Davis, Variety, 14 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grabs
Verb
-
Rather than intercepting income at the source, a bank levy freezes and seizes funds that are already sitting in your checking or savings account.— Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
-
Like any well-meaning grifter, Anna (Halle Bailey) seizes the opportunity to hop a flight to picturesque Tuscany after meeting a handsome Italian stranger with an empty villa.— Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
To help prevent against these vehicle thefts, Wilmette officials advise residents to keep their vehicles locked and windows closed when parked in public areas.— Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
-
Since then there have been no thefts.— Kelly G. Richardson, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The moment, captured on video and shared via Storyful, shows Serezhkina beginning her report before the dog — later identified as Martin — lunges forward and snatches the microphone straight from her hands.— Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
-
Roger snatches the boy up and runs through the chaos toward the infirmary.— Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This is terrific value for the Jets — Taylor could be an instant-impact three-down weapon who catches a bunch of passes for a long time.— Sam Warren, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
-
Lemon is highly productive (79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns last season) and an ace at yards after catch but would be a bit of a surprising pick at 11 because 1).— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That exchange has become remarkably common and captures a much larger cultural shift.— Jonathan Alpert OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
-
After some 53 years, Antigone remains a no-frills stronghold where community organizers trade flyers near the entrance, and the inventory captures the perspectives of life in a vibrant border city.— Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Laurence’s tres leches gets a lot of praise for its crumb texture.— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2026
-
The coming months will bring more announcements and more excitement as June 2026 gets closer.— Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The longaniza breakfast taco lands hot in my hands, the tortilla still steaming, folded around spicy sausage and eggs with a tomato-rich salsa that blooms slowly with heat.— Carrie Honaker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Apr. 2026
-
The transmission towers that dot the hills connect to a large electrical substation in Acton, making the surrounding scrub lands highly coveted by battery developers who could plug projects into the grid without building long, million-dollar-a-mile power lines.— Bloomberg, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grabs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/grabs. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
