as in seizes
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
don't grab my arm like that
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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
Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Several prizes, including a weeklong safari in the Masai Mara with Alex Walker’s Serian for the Overall Winner, are up for grabs, the organization said.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
The elegant, contemporary San Francisco house that a family member of the famous Gap clothing brand built for himself is up for grabs.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
But a glimpse at an earlier journalistic universe—newspapers in the era before social media—shows the dishonesty at the center of the project to treat the plain meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment as up for grabs.
—Lawrence Glickman, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
The top seat in Jackson County government is up for grabs this November — and the race just reopened to new candidates for five days.
—Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
As for what’s up for grabs during the sale event, there’s the endlessly viral Biodance collagen mask, as well as Rejuran’s best-selling anti-aging ampoule—And there’s plenty more where that comes from!
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2026
Cooper’s spot at right guard may still be up for grabs.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 27 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
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
The third starting spot in 11 personnel (three receivers) is up for grabs.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Several prizes, including a weeklong safari in the Masai Mara with Alex Walker’s Serian for the Overall Winner, are up for grabs, the organization said.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
The elegant, contemporary San Francisco house that a family member of the famous Gap clothing brand built for himself is up for grabs.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
But a glimpse at an earlier journalistic universe—newspapers in the era before social media—shows the dishonesty at the center of the project to treat the plain meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment as up for grabs.
—Lawrence Glickman, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
The top seat in Jackson County government is up for grabs this November — and the race just reopened to new candidates for five days.
—Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
As for what’s up for grabs during the sale event, there’s the endlessly viral Biodance collagen mask, as well as Rejuran’s best-selling anti-aging ampoule—And there’s plenty more where that comes from!
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2026
Cooper’s spot at right guard may still be up for grabs.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 27 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
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
-
When the Mafia snatches her anyway, his PTSD returns and launches him on a dark path to vengeance.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
24 Apr. 2026
-
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
Verb
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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
-
Rodriguez is happy to see things coming together as conference play gets into full swing.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The likelihood of lightning increases as a thunderstorm gets closer and reaches its highest point when the storm is directly overhead.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Who’s Most at Risk for Vitamin D Deficiency The study lands in a country where low vitamin D is remarkably common.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
30 Apr. 2026
-
DeFalco has a unique style involving dynamic zooms, high-stakes scenes with characters talking over each other and a comedic sensibility that lands somewhere between Harmony Korine and John Waters.—
William Earl,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grabs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grabs. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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