clawing
Scratching with nails
Clawing is scratching or tearing with claws or fingernails, or moving by digging in with them: The cat was clawing at the furniture.
Figuratively, to be clawing at something is to struggle desperately for it: clawing for a foothold in the market.
To be clawing your way somewhere is to advance through difficult effort.
Raking with nails
- scrapingRubbing away material
- rakingDragging tines across ground
- gougingExploitative overpricing
- tearingForcibly separating material
digging · gripping · grasping · clutching · shredding · ripping · laceration · abrasion
Animal feet
- talonsHooked bird claws
- predatorOrganism that consumes others
- feralWild after domestication
- beastLarge wild animal
wildcat · panther · tiger · leopard · cougar · lynx · hunt · prey
Moving upward
- scalingClimbing or resizing
- grippingHolding attention completely
- haulingTransporting heavy items
- pullingForce toward oneself
hoisting · scrambling · mounting · shinning · grappling · handhold · foothold · purchase
Wildly anxious or desperate
- strugglingExperiencing serious difficulty
- graspingGreedy for wealth
- scramblingMoving clumsily in haste
- flailingUncontrolled limb movement
panicked · frenzied · urgent · despairing · reaching · fighting · straining · scrabbling
scratching
Raking with nails
tearing · digging · gripping · grasping · clutching · shredding · ripping · laceration · abrasion · fingernails
paws
Animal feet
beast · wildcat · panther · tiger · leopard · cougar · lynx · hunt · prey · stalking
ascending
Moving upward
pulling · hoisting · scrambling · mounting · shinning · grappling · handhold · foothold · purchase · ledge
frantic
Wildly anxious or desperate
- strugglingExperiencing serious difficulty
- graspingGreedy for wealth
- scramblingMoving clumsily in haste
flailing · panicked · frenzied · urgent · despairing · reaching · fighting · straining · scrabbling · clutching
attacking
Actively engaging offensively
vicious · fierce · violent · combative · hostile · assault · mauling · ravaging · ferocity · lashing
- pet behaviortail wagging, purring, kneading, growling, hissing
- wildlife dangershark attack, bear attack, lion attack, tiger attack, crocodile attack
- predationstalking, pursuit, pouncing, attack, killing
- primal instinctsinstinct, primal, feral, savage, predator
- jugglingcascade, juggling balls, juggling clubs, passing, catches
- instinctsinstinct, survival instinct, survival instincts, maternal instinct, gut instinct
clawingreleasing
Allowing to escape
letting go · relinquishing · surrendering · relaxing · dropping
- clawing backRecovering something gradually
- clawing awayScraping with sharp nails