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Glite Dictionary
grab hag

grab hag

9.9
A person who pushes to take more attention or things than is fair
  • noun
  • /ɡræb hæɡ/
  • Slur
translation icon : [insulto ofensivo para una mujer que acapara atención o posesiones]
  • The show poked fun at the office grab hag who always takes the last donut.

Examples

  • Some called her a grab hag because she dominated every conversation at the party.

  • She can be a real grab hag when it comes to compliments.

  • Every Halloween, she transforms into a classic grab hag.

  • Don't be such a grab hag at the party!

  • She can be a real grab hag when she talks about her achievements, always trying to get more attention.

  • At the picnic, everyone noticed that Julia was a grab hag as she loudly insisted on getting the most dessert.

  • Some of her friends labeled her a grab hag because she constantly interrupted others to share her opinions.

Synonyms

hog
vsgrab hag
  • Offensive
30 4.1

A selfish person who takes more than their fair share

is aggressive and pushy, often seeking attention as well
grabber
vsgrab hag
  • Offensive
4 7.2

A person who quickly takes things without caring about others

focuses on pushy greed for attention or possessions rather than mere rudeness
grasper
vsgrab hag
6.7

A person who quickly takes things for themselves

is more about taking larger shares aggressively rather than quick snatching

Antonyms

generous
79 1.2

Willing to forgive small mistakes and not be strict

selfless
72 3.2

Caring more about other people's needs than your own

Surface Forms

grab hag singular
grab hags plural

Morphology

grab + hag

The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents: 'grab' (to seize or take/attract attention) combined with 'hag' (pejorative term for a woman) yields a literal sense of a woman who grabs or aggressively takes attention or possessions. This is a straightforward compositional formation rather than an idiom or metaphorical shift, so a B1 learner who knows both words would likely infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Grab hag comes from the clear picture of a witch-like hag who reaches out with greedy hands to grab things. That picture helps explain why the term now means someone who pushes to 'take more than their share' or who 'takes all the attention'.