Word
grasping
Phoneticsgrasp·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɡɹæspɪŋ/
UK/ɡɹˈɑːspɪŋ/
Definition
adj. wanting to get as much money or as many things as possible for yourself. It describes someone who is greedy and does not like to share.
adj. characterised by a greedy or avaricious desire to acquire wealth or possessions. Often used to describe a person's character or a specific action motivated by selfishness.
Examples
“The grasping landlord raised the rent every six months.”
“He was known in the industry as a grasping businessman who would do anything to increase his profit margins.”
“The novel depicts a grasping aristocracy that clings to its ancient privileges while the rest of the country suffers through a period of extreme economic hardship.”
Examples
simple
“The grasping landlord raised the rent every six months.”
contextual
“He was known in the industry as a grasping businessman who would do anything to increase his profit margins.”
complex
“The novel depicts a grasping aristocracy that clings to its ancient privileges while the rest of the country suffers through a period of extreme economic hardship.”
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun to describe a person or their behavior.
Real-World Examples
“When Malick Thiaw headed out a long throw-in, Cherif swivelled to strike a crisp drive that swished through four pairs of plum-coloured stockings and beyond Hornicek’s grasping fingers.” “She got it, but that didn’t stop the press from labelling her as a grasping diva.” “Grasping the ambition behind these systems is vital in understanding what these technical details have come to mean in practice.” “It is any spiral that seems to grow wider and wider and forget itself; open and flung out, like a thought growing faster, and larger, and grasping at more and more connected ideas.” Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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