grasping

American

[gras-ping, grahs-] / ˈgræs pɪŋ, ˈgrɑs- /

adjective

greedy; avaricious.

a sly, grasping man.

Synonyms:

venal, acquisitive, selfish, covetous
being used to grasp or tending to grasp; tenacious.

grasping British

/ ˈɡrɑːspɪŋ /

adjective

greedy; avaricious; rapacious

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

graspingly adverb
graspingness noun
overgrasping adjective
ungrasping adjective

Etymology

Origin of grasping

First recorded in 1540–50; grasp + -ing ²

Vocabulary lists containing grasping

Greedy

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

As demand for artificial intelligence skyrockets, AI companies have been grasping for solutions to flatten the steep cost curve of compute.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026

Despite these fluctuations, readers ages 10 and up will have no trouble grasping the basics of the story.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Chelicerates rely on grasping appendages, often associated with venom delivery.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

The intent of Riverside County’s grasping sheriff was as transparent as a pane of glass.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2026

The emperor’s face was frozen in a glare, and his arms were locked in an empty grip, as if even in his final moments he was grasping.

From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023