grasping

[ gras-ping, grahs- ]

adjective

1. greedy; avaricious:

   a sly, grasping man.

   Synonyms: venal, acquisitive, selfish, covetous

2. being used to grasp or tending to grasp; tenacious.

grasping

/ ˈɡrɑːspɪŋ /

adjective

1. greedy; avaricious; rapacious

Derived Forms

• ˈgraspingly, adverb

Other Words From

• grasping·ly adverb
• grasping·ness noun
• over·grasping adjective
• un·grasping adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of grasping¹

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

Example Sentences

He called for his wife, Dionne, to share the excitement of the Panthers’ big win, grasping her in his arms tight.

From Los Angeles Times

Nearly any New Yorker could have told you that “The Donald” was a grasping, self-serving dude as far back as the 1980s.

From Salon

Filmmaker Elizabeth Ai, pregnant during the conception of the project, had been “grasping at straws” for how she would highlight stories about her ancestral inheritance for her unborn baby.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s on the Mexican flag, a golden eagle grasping a snake perched atop a nopal on an island — a reference to the Aztec legend of searching for a new home until encountering that exact scene.

From Los Angeles Times

Rookie Bo Nix threw touchdowns on consecutive drives, grasping for any ounce of momentum as the Chargers went three-and-out on back-to-back possessions.

From Los Angeles Times