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to grasp at straws
01
to be willing to do whatever necessary to improve one's current situation, regardless of one's chance of success
![to [grasp|clutch] at straws definition and meaning](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/46653/original/?type=jpeg "to [grasp|clutch] at straws definition and meaning")
Idiom
Informal
What is the origin of the idiom "grasp at straws" and when to use it?
The idiom "grasp at straws" originates from the practice of a drowning person desperately trying to save themselves by reaching for any floating straws or objects within their reach. Figuratively, it is now used to describe a situation where someone is in a state of extreme desperation, willing to consider even the most unlikely or feeble solutions to their problems.
Examples
After the doctors gave him little hope, his family started grasping at straws.
