reach for
phrasal verb
reached for; reaching for; reaches for
1
: to move one's hand in order to get or touch (someone or something)
She reached for the salt and pepper.
He reached into his pocket for a dime.
2
: to try hard to achieve or succeed at (something)
Success won't come to you, you have to reach for it.
Examples of reach for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While players watch dots appear and reach for the A button, the mod races to get a response from the AI model and translate it into the game's dialog format.
—
ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
If YouTube delivered a huge ratings number, the broadcast networks that have leaned on their reach for relevance – Fox, CBS, NBC and ABC – would have to admit that YouTube, with its 2 billion monthly active users, is simply a better mousetrap to maximize audience.
—Contessa Brewer,alex Sherman, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
But sky-high home prices, stubbornly elevated mortgage rates, and other rising costs, including home insurance premiums, have pushed homeownership out of reach for millions of Americans.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
New record highs reached for average 401(k) balances On average, many savers didn't need to dread taking a peek at their 401(k) statements as of late June.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reach for
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ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
If YouTube delivered a huge ratings number, the broadcast networks that have leaned on their reach for relevance – Fox, CBS, NBC and ABC – would have to admit that YouTube, with its 2 billion monthly active users, is simply a better mousetrap to maximize audience.
—Contessa Brewer,alex Sherman, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
But sky-high home prices, stubbornly elevated mortgage rates, and other rising costs, including home insurance premiums, have pushed homeownership out of reach for millions of Americans.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
New record highs reached for average 401(k) balances On average, many savers didn't need to dread taking a peek at their 401(k) statements as of late June.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reach for
Cite this Entry
“Reach for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reach%20for. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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