grapevine

noun

grape·​vine ˈgrāp-ˌvīn How to pronounce grapevine (audio)
1
2
a
: an informal person-to-person means of circulating information or gossip
heard it through the grapevine
b
: a secret source of information

Examples of grapevine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Here are the blue skies, the tawny hills, the grapevines tinged fierce red. Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 3 Nov. 2023 Just take a wreath form (this one uses a grapevine wreath as its base) and attach your favorite seasonal stems with floral wire. Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2023 But grapevines do grow — and thrive — amid the state’s canyons and cacti, flourishing in a range of microclimates and at elevations of up to 5,500 feet. Gina Decaprio Vercesi, Travel + Leisure, 27 Oct. 2023 To make your own, start with a basic grapevine wreath and tuck real or faux stems of blooms and greenery into the branches. Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2023 Start with a basic grapevine wreath, then tuck in sprigs of faux eucalyptus, dusty miller, and more. Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2023 Resveratrol Resveratrol is a substance extracted from grapes, grapevines, almonds, and some berries, which has long been used in traditional medicines in east Asia, due to its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 14 Aug. 2023 Hearing through the grapevine that a railroad was on its way, shopkeeper Andrew Jackson Meyers got a homestead grant of 160-plus acres in the mid-1880s and subdivided the land into the community that would become the city. San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Oct. 2023 The property is also home to a grapevine rescued from outside a neighborhood bistro that closed during the Covid lockdown. Molly Fitzpatrick, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grapevine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1736, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of grapevine was circa 1736

Dictionary Entries Near grapevine

Cite this Entry

“Grapevine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grapevine. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

grapevine

noun
grape·​vine ˈgrāp-ˌvīn How to pronounce grapevine (audio)
1
2
: an unofficial means of spreading information or gossip from person to person

Geographical Definition

Grapevine

geographical name

Grape·​vine ˈgrāp-ˌvīn How to pronounce Grapevine (audio)
city in northern Texas northeast of Fort Worth population 46,334
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!