grab

grab — verb

1. to take or pull at something or someone using a quick, strong hand movement, oft

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveA2
Definition

to take or pull at something or someone using a quick, strong hand movement, often before the other person can move away

Example

Adina grabbed the boy's arm just before he ran into the road.

transitive: grab + noun phrase (person or object)

The kitten grabbed at the edge of the blanket with its tiny claws.

intransitive: grab at + noun phrase

Common collocations
  • grab someone's arm
  • grab at something
  • grab hold of
Synonyms
  • seize

    more formal and forceful than 'grab'; suggests taking by authority or legal power

  • snatch

    implies taking quickly and often rudely, sometimes with the intent to steal

  • grasp

    focuses on holding firmly rather than the suddenness of the action

Antonyms
  • release

    to let go of something you were holding

Grammar Patterns

grab + noun phrase

grab at + noun phrase

Usage Note

The intransitive form 'grab at' often suggests trying to reach and hold something without being sure of catching it. 'Grab' without 'at' implies a successful hold.

Common Mistakes

The child grabed the toy from the shelf.
The child grabbed the toy from the shelf.
The past tense of 'grab' doubles the 'b' before adding '-ed'.

2. to take or get something quickly and eagerly, especially when time is short or w

2.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to take or get something quickly and eagerly, especially when time is short or when many people want the same thing

Example

Chidi grabbed the last bus seat just as the doors closed behind him.

grab + limited resource (seat, spot, ticket)

Padma grabbed a sandwich from the fridge between back-to-back meetings.

grab + quick meal or drink in a hurry

Common collocations
  • grab a seat
  • grab a bite
  • grab a coffee
  • grab a chance
  • grab an opportunity
  • grab a deal
Synonyms
  • snap up

    even more eager than 'grab'; suggests buying or taking something quickly before others can

  • seize

    more formal; implies taking an opportunity with determination

  • grab hold of

    more emphatic and slightly longer; suggests a more deliberate action

Antonyms
  • miss

    to fail to get or take something in time

  • pass up

    to deliberately not take an opportunity

Grammar Patterns

grab + noun phrase (food, seat, opportunity, chance, etc.)

Usage Note

Common in informal speech. Not used in formal writing. Often describes everyday actions like getting food, finding a seat, or accepting an offer.

3. to strongly attract and hold someone's interest or attention, making them want t

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to strongly attract and hold someone's interest or attention, making them want to look or listen

Example

The opening scene of the film grabbed the audience's attention immediately.

collocation: grab + [someone's] attention

What really grabs Adina about this novel is the way the writer describes each character.

informal pattern: 'what grabs [someone] about [something]'

Common collocations
  • grab attention
  • grab someone's attention
  • grab interest
  • grab the audience
Synonyms
  • capture

    slightly more formal than 'grab'; often used with 'imagination'

  • catch

    common with 'attention'; implies a sudden brief attraction

  • engage

    more formal and ongoing; suggests holding attention for longer

Antonyms
  • bore

    to fail to interest or attract someone's attention

Grammar Patterns

grab + someone's + attention/interest/imagination

what grabs me/him/her about + noun phrase

Usage Note

The subject is usually a thing (film, article, image, design, performance) rather than a person. 'Grab someone's attention' is much more common than 'grab someone's interest'.

Common Mistakes

The speech grabbed me deeply.
The speech grabbed my attention.
'Grab' in this sense almost always needs an object like 'attention' or 'interest'; it is not usually followed by a person alone.
Idioms

how does… grab you?

idiom

You ask this to find out if someone likes a suggestion or idea.

How does dinner at that new Italian place grab you?

Maya asked, "How does a weekend hike grab you?"

grab — noun

grab — adjective

Word family

  • grabber
    nounC1
  • grabby
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Grab' is the most general of these four and suggests a quick, sometimes rough, hand movement. 'Seize' is more formal and implies taking with force or legal authority — police seize evidence, but a child grabs a cookie. 'Snatch' emphasises speed and often stealth or selfishness; someone might snatch a purse and run. 'Grasp' focuses on holding firmly after taking, like grasping a railing on a steep stair. 'Clutch' suggests holding tightly from fear or need, such as clutching a bag in a crowd. For everyday situations where you reach out and take something quickly by hand, 'grab' is the most natural word. 'I grabbed my coat and left' sounds natural; 'I seized my coat and left' sounds overly dramatic.

seize ↗snatchgrasp ↗clutch ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • grab hold of
  • make a grab for
  • up for grabs

Prepositions

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'grab' entered English from Old Danish and Old Norse 'grabba', meaning 'to seize'. It is related to Dutch 'grabben' and German 'grapschen', all from a Germanic root that suggested catching or seizing with the hand. The word first appeared in English around the 1500s. The meaning of 'attracting attention' developed in the early 1900s, and the adjective uses in compounds like 'grab bag' appeared in American English in the mid-1900s.