Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

grasp

/ɡɹæsp/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.97 in modern English

Syllables: grasp
IPA: /ɡɹæsp/

8

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

1

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To grip; to take hold, particularly with the hand.

verb

verb

To take advantage of something, to seize, to jump at a chance.

noun

noun

noun

That which is accessible; that which is within one's reach or ability.

name

Acronym of General Responsibility Assignment Software Patterns (or Principles).

name

Acronym of Gamepedia Rapid Anti-Spam Patrol.

Example Sentences

"How few! yet how they creep / Through my fingers to the deep, / While I weep—while I weep! / O God! can I not grasp / Them with a tighter clasp?"
"I have never been able to grasp the concept of infinity."
"A vagrant gust of wind snatched the note from my grasp."
"in the tyrant's grasp"
"What the anvil? what dread grasp. Dare its deadly terrors clasp!"
"Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness, but had taken only a few uncertain steps when, of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear."

Etymology

From Middle English graspen, grapsen, craspen (“to grope; feel around”), from Old English *grǣpsian, from Proto-West Germanic *graipisōn, from Proto-Germanic *graipisōną, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrebʰ- (“to take, seize, rake”), the same ultimate source as grab. Cognate with Saterland Frisian grapsje (“to grab, grasp”), German Low German grapsen (“to grab; grasp”), German grapsen and grapschen, Old English grāpian ("to touch, feel, grasp"; > Modern English grope). Compare also Swedish krafsa (“to scatch; scabble”), Norwegian krafse (“to scramble”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: graspen, *grǣpsian, *graipisōn, *graipisōną, *gʰrebʰ-

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ɡɹæsp/
British English: /ɡɹɑːsp/

Inflected Forms

grasps (present, singular) grasping (participle, present) grasped (participle, past) grasped (past) no-table-tags (table tags) glossary (inflection template) grasped (first person, past) graspest (archaic, present) grasped (past, second person) graspedst (archaic, past) graspeth (archaic, present) grasped (past, singular)

Derived Forms

begrasp engrasp foregrasp graspability graspable grasper misgrasp regrasp ungrasp graspful graspless handgrasp

Phrases

a drowning man will grasp at a straw a drowning man will grasp at straws grasp at a straw grasp at straws grasp for straws grasp the nettle beyond someone's grasp light grasp

Frequently Paired Words

grab grapple grave groove grovel capture

Synonyms

clasp grip hold tight comprehend fathom jump at the chance jump on beclasp begrasp begrip belock clench

Antonyms

let go release

Rhymes With

gasp clasp asp rasp agasp hasp jasp

Questions

How do you pronounce grasp?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɡɹæsp/.
What does grasp mean?: To grip; to take hold, particularly with the hand.
Where does grasp come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce grasp

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “grasp”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɡɹæsp/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “grasp”.
Repeat and practice — Say “grasp” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.