If you describe someone as grasping, you are criticizing them for wanting to get and keep as much money as possible, and for being unwilling to spend it.
[disapproval]
...a greedy grasping individual.
They were grasping and manipulative.
Synonyms: greedy, acquisitive, rapacious, mean More Synonyms of grasping
grasping in British English
(ˈɡrɑːspɪŋ)
adjective
greedy; avaricious; rapacious
Derived forms
graspingly (ˈgraspingly)
adverb
grasping in American English
(ˈgræspɪŋ)
adjective
1.
that grasps
2.
eager for gain; avaricious
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈgreedy
Derived forms
graspingly (ˈgraspingly)
adverb
Examples of 'grasping' in a sentence
grasping
She is not grasping in any way.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
(adjective)
Definition
greedy for money
She is a grasping and manipulative young woman.
Synonyms
greedy
He attacked greedy bosses for awarding themselves big pay rises.
acquisitive
We live in an acquisitive society.
rapacious
He had a rapacious appetite for bird's nest soup.
mean
Don't be mean with the fabric, or the curtains will end up looking skimpy.
selfish
the selfish interests of a few people
stingy
My dad was stingy with pocket money.
penny-pinching (informal)
small-minded, penny-pinching administrators
venal
miserly
He is miserly with both his time and his money.
avaricious
I sacrificed my career so that my avaricious brother could succeed.
niggardly
Officials say the EU is being particularly niggardly with these funds.
covetous
His sports car was attracting covetous stares.
tightfisted
close-fisted
tight-arsed (taboo, slang)
usurious
tight-assed (US, taboo, slang)
snoep (South Africa, informal)
tight as a duck's arse (taboo, slang)
Opposites
generous
,
altruistic
,
unselfish
Additional synonyms
in the sense of acquisitive
Definition
eager to gain material possessions
We live in an acquisitive society.
Synonyms
greedy,
grabbing,
grasping,
hungry,
selfish,
avid,
predatory,
rapacious,
avaricious,
desirous,
covetous
in the sense of avaricious
I sacrificed my career so that my avaricious brother could succeed.