grabs 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of grab
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grabs

2 of 2

noun

plural of grab
as in thefts
an instance of theft a political activist who thinks the government's lease of public lands to logging companies amounts to an illegal land grab

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Verb
Before assisting Shoupe, Rafe grabs his gun, admits to killing Sheriff Peterkin and shares his regret for doing so. — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026 Kurt's key takeaways What grabs me about this story isn’t simply the fact that a robot was involved in eye surgery. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026 The little breaths, the cloth grabs and punches were all deliberate. — Simon Thompson, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026 When the cashier opens the register, the suspect pulls out a knife, reaches over the counter, grabs the cash, and runs off. — Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026 Seminole blocks a Lake Nona 39-yard field goal attempt and Joseph Watson IV grabs the ball and takes it to the house for the go-ahead score. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026 But his wildly unfiltered speech grabs the attention of beautiful and brash public defender Ginger (Gilpin), herself a crusader for truth. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2026 Alice slowly gets Marshall to lie on the floor, grabs the bottle of whiskey, and pours it into his mouth with glee. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026 For kids, anger often shows up when something doesn’t go their way—like when a playmate grabs their toy. — Jenna Autuori-Dedic, Parents, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
In this case, the filings contain screen grabs of text messages and other communications that seem very …lively. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026 Last season, Green became a mismatch weapon for the Tigers and had seven touchdown grabs — only 2026 first-round pick Kenyon Sadiq caught more touchdowns in 2025 among FBS tight ends. — Dane Brugler, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 There aren’t any starting jobs up for grabs, and even most of the backup spots are taken. — Tashan Reed, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2026 In a game that Dallas led wire-to-wire, the picture has cleared on which roster positions remain up for grabs going into the preseason’s final week. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Aug. 2026 The Chargers began camp with the left guard position up for grabs, with Awosika, Slaughter, Trevor Penning, Trey Pipkins III and Branson Taylor in competition. — Elliott Teaford, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026 That’s at least 1,184 football players and NFL hopefuls up for grabs. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026 Denver has roster spots up for grabs, roles still to be solidified and some questions on the injury front. — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2026 Feline-fashioned jewelry will also be up for grabs at the September live auction, including creations by Tiffany & Co and Boucheron. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grabs
  1. seizes
  2. thefts
  3. snatches
  4. catches
  5. captures
  6. gets
  7. lands
Verb
  • Obreht is a writer who doesn’t rush into easy patterns of storytelling but seizes control from the jump.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Better, Cretton seizes small moments to put his stamp on this installment.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of seizes
Noun
  • According to arrest reports for the suspects, the thefts began in early May.
    — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Since the power went out, there has been a spate of generator thefts in his neighborhood, said Calvin Boone, 44, a father of four.
    — Selina Guevara, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of thefts
Verb
  • In the midst of handing the job over to his son, even as Diego is making a speech about water supplies, hygiene and education, Don Alejandro snatches it back to cheers, clutches his heart and dies.
    — Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • These picks start at $11 and range from a one-piece swimsuit that snatches your waist to an everyday pair of wide-leg jeans and this summer-friendly tank top.
    — Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026
Definition of snatches
Verb
  • The hefty cod and haddock catches from the chilled Arctic waters around Iceland are central to the national identity too.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Put simply, when banks sneeze, the rest of the financial system catches pneumonia.
    — Mayra Rodriguez Valladares, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of catches
Verb
  • All in all, the stunt perfectly captures the current state of the attention economy, in which common sense is commonly traded for viral clips.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Gates said a usage tax would directly change companies’ incentives to replace workers, unlike a corporate tax that only captures profits — which may be limited in a hypercompetitive market.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of captures
Verb
  • Some recalls, Eskin said, are made after companies’ routine testing catches a pathogen before anyone gets sick, while others involve outbreaks that are already underway and vary widely in size and severity.
    — Dian Zhang, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • All cabins come with a firepit equipped with a grill grate and a picnic table, while upgrading to an outdoor suite gets you a tarp for shade lined with string lights and an extremely comfortable hammock.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of gets
Verb
  • Some pups happily eat just about anything that lands within nose range.
    — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The note likely refers to the helipad construction on the South Lawn, where the presidential helicopter normally lands and takes off.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of lands

Browse Nearby Words

grabby
grabs
grace
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Cite this Entry

“Grabs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grabs. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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