: taking a powerful hold upon one's interest or feelings
a gripping thriller
Shabba Ranks has a gripping baritone voice that ranges from bedroom purr to locker-room-boast roar.—
Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman
grippingly
adverb
a grippingly honest performance
Examples of gripping in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Editor’s picks On the flip side, a compelling antagonist is equally crucial in creating a gripping and memorable thriller.
—Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 10 May 2024
Using the history of antisemitism against Jewish pawnbrokers (one of the few professions permitted to them in the 19th century), Grossman crafts a gripping tale of a woman who has swallowed the prejudices of society as surely as a poisonous potion.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 May 2024
Coverage of the search became even more gripping and hopeless when one of the rescue helicopters crashed while trying to navigate the difficult terrain, severely injuring two of the occupants.
—Leyton Cassidy, Longreads, 7 May 2024
On one side, beside a floating boom designed to trap debris, a mechanical gripping device lifted out a tangle of aquatic weeds.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
Through Berezovsky, Putin and Abramovic, Morgan crafts a kinetic and gripping story of politics as a proxy war for the rich, powerful and egotistical.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Apr. 2024
In comparison, Keen’s ticking time bomb of a performance as the steely Putin is more gripping in its stillness.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 23 Apr. 2024
Like Seven and Panic Room, Zodiac is a gripping, grimy crime story filled with intense performances and slick cinematography.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 27 Mar. 2024
Starring Gyllenhaal in the lead role of chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich, the series takes viewers on a gripping journey through the horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024
Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 10 May 2024
Using the history of antisemitism against Jewish pawnbrokers (one of the few professions permitted to them in the 19th century), Grossman crafts a gripping tale of a woman who has swallowed the prejudices of society as surely as a poisonous potion.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 May 2024
Coverage of the search became even more gripping and hopeless when one of the rescue helicopters crashed while trying to navigate the difficult terrain, severely injuring two of the occupants.
—Leyton Cassidy, Longreads, 7 May 2024
On one side, beside a floating boom designed to trap debris, a mechanical gripping device lifted out a tangle of aquatic weeds.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
Through Berezovsky, Putin and Abramovic, Morgan crafts a kinetic and gripping story of politics as a proxy war for the rich, powerful and egotistical.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Apr. 2024
In comparison, Keen’s ticking time bomb of a performance as the steely Putin is more gripping in its stillness.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 23 Apr. 2024
Like Seven and Panic Room, Zodiac is a gripping, grimy crime story filled with intense performances and slick cinematography.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 27 Mar. 2024
Starring Gyllenhaal in the lead role of chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich, the series takes viewers on a gripping journey through the horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gripping.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near gripping
Cite this Entry
“Gripping.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gripping. Accessed 17 May. 2024.
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