clutch/grasp at straws
Definition
› to be willing to try anything to improve a difficult or unsatisfactory situation, even if it has little chance of success: She offered to take a pay cut to keep her job, but she was just clutching at straws.Wanting thingsHoping and hopefulness
(Definition of clutch/grasp at straws from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus
© Cambridge University Press)
Browse the Dictionary
-
clutch bag noun
-
clutch noun (CONTROL)
-
clutch noun (GROUP)
-
clutch noun (MACHINE PART)
-
clutch verb
- clutch/grasp at straws idiom
-
clutter noun
-
clutter verb
-
cm noun
-
CMYK noun
-
CND noun
Browse the Thesaurus
SMART Thesaurus
Synonyms and related words:
- ache for sth phrasal verb
- acquisitive adjective (WANTING THINGS)
- ambitious adjective
- angle for sth phrasal verb
- aspirant noun
- desirous adjective
- dream about/of sth phrasal verb
- fall over yourself idiom
- give your eyeteeth for sth idiom
- give your right arm idiom
- impulse noun (WISH)
- incline verb (FEEL)
- need verb (MUST HAVE)
- pant for/after sb/sth phrasal verb
- pine for sth/sb phrasal verb
- queue verb
- reach for the stars idiom
- taker noun (ACCEPT)
- yearn verb
- your heart's desire idiom
Topic:
Wanting things
Our dictionaries
Word of the Day
Blog
Read our blog about how the English language behaves.
New Words
Find words and meanings that have just started to be used in English, and let us know what you think of them.
