v. 1
To take hold (of), particularly with the hand.
That suitcase is heavy, so grip the handle firmly.
v. 2
To figuratively take hold of or grasp.
We need to grip this problem, not shut our eyes and hope it goes away.
n. 1
A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand.
It's good to have a firm grip when shaking hands.
n. 2
Ability to resist slippage when pressed in contact with another object or surface.
These tyres are worn out and don't have much grip.

Related words

Word family: gripping
Phrases: kirby grip bow grip gangsta grip grip wax

Forms

Plural: grips → holds, handles, bags, suitcases…
Past participle: gripped
e.g. gripped → fascinated, transfixed, grasped, clasped…

Choose the right word

Grip, Clutch, Grasp or Gripe?

We clutch with a swift, tenacious movement of the fingers; we grasp with a firm but moderate closure of the whole hand; we grip or gripe with the strongest muscular closure of the whole hand possible to exert.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

grasp I was able to grasp the main points of the speech.
clasp She fastened the clasp of her necklace.
overwhelm Do you find first dates enjoyable or do they overwhelm you?

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
grip		rising
grasp		rising
clasp		rising
overwhelm		rising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters: bag¹, flu¹
4 letters: take¹, hold¹, fang¹
5 letters: power², catch¹, grasp¹, seize¹, cling¹, clasp¹, gripe¹
6 letters: handle², clutch¹, clinch¹, grippe, belock
7 letters: grapple², satchel, enclasp, grabble, begrasp
8 letters: purchase², traction², suitcase², clutches², transfix²
9 letters: influenza⁴, overwhelm³, fascinate³, spellbind
12 letters: stranglehold³

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (power² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: agripper
Español: agarrar
Deutsch: greifen
Català: agarrar