grabbers
grabbers — noun
- grabberssingular
- grabbersesplural
1. a handheld tool whose two hinged sections at the tip can be squeezed together to
a handheld tool whose two hinged sections at the tip can be squeezed together to grip items that are otherwise out of reach
The park volunteers used long grabbers to collect plastic bottles from the bushes.
collocation: long grabbers / use grabbers to collect
Dario bought a grabber with a magnetic tip so he could pick up screws that fell behind the workbench.
The nurse handed me a grabber to reach the TV remote, which had fallen behind the bed.
context: reaching something out of reach
Grabbers with rubber grips are safer for picking up glass shards after a broken window.
- long grabber
- mechanical grabber
- extendable grabber
- reach and pick up with a grabber
- tongs
more common for kitchen use (food), not for general reaching
- reacher
informal term for a long stick with a clamp at the end
- picker-upper
very informal; rare in writing
Usage Note
Often used in the plural form 'grabbers' even when referring to a single device of this type.
2. a person who quickly takes chances to get or enjoy something before other people
a person who quickly takes chances to get or enjoy something before other people can
Tara is a real opportunity grabber — she applied for the exchange program the day the forms arrived.
pattern: a real + noun + grabber
In the film industry, you have to be a grabber or the best roles go to someone else.
Liam earned a reputation as a grabber, always the first to sign up for training workshops.
pattern: reputation as a grabber
Some people called her a publicity grabber because she posted about every small achievement online.
- opportunity grabber
- publicity grabber
- be a grabber
- go-getter
neutral-to-positive; emphasizes energy rather than speed
- hustler
informal; can imply a willingness to do whatever it takes
- self-starter
formal and positive; focuses on initiative
- procrastinator
someone who delays rather than acts quickly
Usage Note
Commonly used in compound nouns like 'opportunity grabber' or 'publicity grabber'. Can be neutral or slightly critical depending on context.
Common Mistakes
3. something or someone that immediately attracts people's interest or makes them l
something or someone that immediately attracts people's interest or makes them look
The bright yellow poster with the giant question mark was a real attention grabber at the science fair.
pattern: real attention grabber
Renata's opening joke was a grabber — the whole audience stopped whispering and laughed.
The cooking channel uses colorful thumbnails as grabbers to make people click on the videos.
collocation: use [something] as a grabber
Good headlines act as grabbers that pull readers into the article before they decide to scroll past.
- attention grabber
- use [something] as a grabber
- real grabber
- crowd-pleaser
emphasizes enjoyment rather than mere attention
- showstopper
stronger; suggests something so impressive it interrupts the event
- eyecatcher
specifically about visual attention
Usage Note
Usually found in the compound 'attention grabber' or alone when the context is clear. Common in advertising, media, and public speaking.
4. a person who takes things in a greedy or dishonest way, without caring about oth
a person who takes things in a greedy or dishonest way, without caring about other people's rights or feelings
The neighborhood called the developer a land grabber after he bought three empty lots in a single month.
compound: land grabber
A few power grabbers in the department took full credit for work the whole team had done together.
compound: power grabber
Critics described the CEO as a corporate grabber who swallowed smaller companies just to eliminate competition.
The charity accused the mining company of being a resource grabber that took water from local villages without permission.
compound: resource grabber
- land grabber
- power grabber
- money grabber
- corporate grabber
- opportunist
softer and more neutral; can be positive or negative
- predator
stronger metaphor; suggests preying on the weak
- altruist
someone who puts others' needs first
Usage Note
Strongly negative. Most often used in compounds: 'land grabber', 'power grabber', 'money grabber'. The bare noun by itself is rare.
Common Mistakes
grabbers — verb
- grabberspresent simple I / you / we / they
- grabberses3rd person singular
- grabbersing-ing form
- grabbersedpast simple
1. to take hold of someone or something quickly and firmly, often with the hand, so
to take hold of someone or something quickly and firmly, often with the hand, sometimes using force to stop movement or prevent escape
Liam grabbed the boy's backpack strap just before he ran into the busy street.
grab + object to prevent movement
When the tray began to tip, Nia grabbed the edge with both hands and steadied it.
The goalkeeper dove to the left and grabbed the ball just before it crossed the line.
Tamar grabbed the railing when the bus made a sharp turn on the mountain road.
grab + [object] for support
A security guard grabbed the thief by the arm and held him until the police arrived.
pattern: grab + person + by + body part
- grab someone by the arm/wrist
- grab hold of
- grab the railing/handle
- release
to let go of something
Grammar Patterns
grab + noun phrase
Usage Note
This sense, and the five verb senses that follow, describe the action 'grab' (抓取), which is the base verb form related to the noun 'grabber' / 'grabbers'. They are included here as a related lemma for learner reference. For the physical grabbing sense: the object is usually something you can hold with your hand. 'Grab by the [body part]' is a common structure for describing restraint.
Common Mistakes
2. to take something quickly, especially because you are in a hurry or do not have
to take something quickly, especially because you are in a hurry or do not have much time to choose carefully
Tara grabbed a granola bar from the kitchen counter and ran out the door to catch the bus.
grab + food in a hurry
Before the meeting started, Dario grabbed a coffee from the machine in the hallway.
Abigail grabbed the last clean towel off the shelf before heading to the shower.
grab + last remaining item
We only had five minutes between trains, so we grabbed a quick bowl of noodles at the station food court.
- grab a bite
- grab a coffee/drink
- grab a seat
- grab something to eat
- put down
to place something back after picking it up
Grammar Patterns
grab + noun phrase
Usage Note
The object is typically something portable: food, a drink, clothing, or a small item. Common in spoken English and informal writing.
Common Mistakes
3. to suddenly attract and hold someone's interest or attention, especially with so
to suddenly attract and hold someone's interest or attention, especially with something exciting or unusual
The opening scene of the movie grabbed everyone's attention with a loud explosion and flashing lights.
pattern: grab + someone's + attention
What grabbed Renata about the novel was not the plot but the way the author described the landscape.
pattern: what grabbed [person] about [thing] is/was...
A colorful infographic on the cover grabbed readers' interest and made them open the magazine.
The charity's short video about ocean pollution grabbed millions of views within the first week.
- grab attention
- grab someone's interest
- grab headlines
- grab the spotlight
- lose
to fail to keep someone's attention
Grammar Patterns
grab + someone's attention/interest
Usage Note
The object is almost always an abstract noun like 'attention', 'interest', or 'imagination'. 'Grab headlines' is another common fixed expression.
Common Mistakes
4. to make someone feel deeply impressed or emotionally affected by something impre
to make someone feel deeply impressed or emotionally affected by something impressive or moving
The young dancer's performance grabbed the judges from the very first spin across the stage.
grab + audience/judges/crowd
What really grabbed Aylin about Kyoto was the quiet beauty of the temples at sunrise.
The documentary about the refugee family grabbed me so deeply that I watched it twice that week.
adverb intensifier: grab deeply / really grab
Nia said the speech grabbed her because the speaker talked about her own struggles honestly.
- really grab someone
- grab someone deeply
- grab the audience
- what grabbed me was
Grammar Patterns
grab + noun phrase
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 3 (CAPTURE ATTENTION): sense 3 is about holding someone's momentary interest or focus, while this sense is about creating a lasting emotional impression. The subject here is typically art, music, a performance, or a personal story.
5. to get money, power, or other advantages by acting in a selfish or dishonest way
to get money, power, or other advantages by acting in a selfish or dishonest way, without any care for fairness or ethics
The corporation tried to grab as much market share as possible by undercutting every smaller competitor.
collocation: grab market share
During the crisis, some politicians tried to grab power by spreading fear and false information.
collocation: grab power
Outside developers grabbed large areas of farmland before the community could raise funds to save it.
Critics say the new law lets big companies grab resources that belong to local communities.
- grab power
- grab land
- grab market share
- grab resources
- grab control
- usurp
formal; specifically about taking power or position illegally
- seize
more neutral; can be lawful or unlawful
- appropriate
formal; often implies taking without permission
- relinquish
to give up power or control voluntarily
Grammar Patterns
grab + noun phrase
Usage Note
This sense has a strong negative moral judgment. Common in political and business contexts. The object is typically abstract (power, control, share) or large-scale (land, resources, territory).
6. to make a quick, sudden movement toward something, trying to take hold of it, of
to make a quick, sudden movement toward something, trying to take hold of it, often without success
The child grabbed at the bubbles floating past, but they popped as soon as her fingers touched them.
pattern: grab at something (trying but not succeeding)
Dario grabbed for the railing when his foot slipped on the wet marble stairs.
pattern: grab for [support]
The puppy grabbed at the edge of the blanket and pulled it off the bed with a happy bark.
Tara grabbed for her phone as it slid off the table and hit the floor.
- grab at something
- grab for something
- grab at the air
- let go
to release something you were holding
Grammar Patterns
grab at + noun phrase
grab for + noun phrase
Usage Note
Use 'grab at' when the result is uncertain or unsuccessful. Use 'grab for' when reaching for support or something specific. This sense is intransitive — it requires a preposition.
Common Mistakes
grabbers — adjective
- grabberspositive
- more grabberscomparative
- most grabberssuperlative
1. designed or positioned so that people can pick them up quickly without having to
designed or positioned so that people can pick them up quickly without having to look or think much, typically of products near a checkout
The store placed grabber items like gum and travel-size snacks in a basket beside the cash register.
attributive use: grabber items
Supermarkets often put grabber products on small shelves near the entrance to catch shoppers as they walk in.
The magazine had a grabber section on the cover with short news summaries and bold numbers.
The pharmacy placed grabber baskets with travel-size toothpaste and pain relievers next to the cashier.
attributive: grabber baskets
- grabber items
- grabber products
- grabber section
- impulse
used the same way, e.g. 'impulse buy', but focuses on the buyer's decision
- convenience
broader; doesn't imply speed specifically
Usage Note
Always used before a noun. Describes retail products or reading material placed for quick, impulse purchase or consumption.
2. chosen or taken without careful thought, planning, or a systematic method, often
chosen or taken without careful thought, planning, or a systematic method, often by convenience rather than design
The survey team used a grabber sample of shoppers leaving the mall on a Saturday afternoon.
collocation: grabber sample
Reporters sometimes rely on grabber quotes from whoever happens to be standing near the entrance.
collocation: grabber quote
The study's grabber data came from people who walked past the lab during lunch hour.
The journalist's grabber interview was with whoever walked out of the building first, regardless of whether they knew anything.
- grabber sample
- grabber data
- grabber quote
- convenience
more formal and neutral in research contexts; 'convenience sample' is the technical term
- ad hoc
formal; suggests improvised selection for a specific purpose
- systematic
the opposite of picking at random
Usage Note
Always used before a noun. Common in research methodology contexts ('grabber sample') and journalism ('grabber quote'). Implies the selection was not rigorous.
Common Mistakes
Etymology
First known use
1581
1581, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1 Noun (1)