Today, as Americans, we grieve the brutal murder -- a horrific massacre -- of dozens of innocent people. We pray for their families, who are grasping for answers with broken hearts.
Source: tatoeba (5215518)
Grasping
/ˈɡɹæspɪŋ/
Synonyms for "grasping" (190 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (38)
a hog foracquiringacquisitiveacquisitivenessaffluentall-devouringall-engulfingambitious for selfautisticavariceavariciousavariciousnessavidavidityavidnessbloodsuckingbottomlesscareeristclamantclamorous
Show 4 more words
Noun(11 words)
Adjective(3 words)
Strong matches (57)
covetousnesscryingcupiditydemandingdesirousdevouringdrainingegotisticegotisticalenviousesurientexactingexigentexorbitantextortionatefrenzy of desirefury of desiregluttonousgluttonygobbling
Show 27 more words
Related words (95)
lustmeanmercenarymiserlymoney hungrymoney madmoney-hungrymoney-madnarcissisticniggardlyomnivorousovergreedinessovergreedyparasiticparsimoniouspenny-pinchingpenuriouspersistentpersonalisticpertinacious
Show 64 more words
piggishpiggishnesspossessivepredaciouspredatoryprehensilepressingprivatisticquenchlessrapaciousrapaciousnessrapacityraptorialraveningravenousravenousnessremoteretentiveself-absorbedself-admiringself-advancingself-besotself-centeredself-considerativeself-containedself-devotedself-esteemingself-indulgentself-interestedself-jealousself-occupiedself-pleasingself-seekingself-servingself-sufficientselfishsharkishslakelesssordidsordidnessstingyswinishswinishnesstaxingtenacioustighttight-fistedunappeasableunappeasedunquenchableunsatedunsatisfiedunslakeableunslakedurgentvenalvoraciousvoraciousnessvoracityvulturinevulturouswisewolfishwolfishness
Adjective(2 words)
manipulative limbprehensile
Noun(9 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: a hog for, acquiring, acquisitive, acquisitive, acquisitiveness.
- Sentence evidence is available for grasping, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, derived_reverse, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "grasping".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "grasping"
Keep "grasping" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "grasping" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "grasping", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "grasping" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
11 entriesapprehensioncognitioncognitive abilitycontroldiscernmentmanual actionmental processpersonality traitphysical actionsavvyunderstanding
More specific
17 entriesacuityavariceawarenessclutchcomprehensionconceptual understandinggrabgreedinsightinterpretationperceptivenesspinch grippower gripprecision griprapacityseize
Showing 16 of 17 words.
Collocations
15 entriesfirm graspgrasp of physicsgrasp of the conceptgrasping abilitygrasping conceptgrasping for influencegrasping for opportunitiesgrasping for powergrasping for wealthgrasping handsgrasping mechanismgrasping of conceptsgrasping reflexintuitive graspstrong grasp
Inflections
5 entriesDerivations
7 entriessimilar
1 entriesSample sentences
12 total sentences available.
In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Source: tatoeba (5680722)
I sprang to my feet, my inert hand grasping my pistol, my mind paralyzed by the dreadful shape which had sprung out upon us from the shadows of the fog.
Source: tatoeba (6620773)
The elephant's trunk has several functions, including breathing, olfaction, touching, grasping, and sound production. The animal's sense of smell is about four times more sensitive than that of a bloodhound.
Source: tatoeba (8932306)
Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "grasping"?
Closest matches include a hog for, acquiring, acquisitive, acquisitive, acquisitiveness.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "grasping"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.