gripped; gripping
1
: to seize or hold firmly
gripped the door handle
2
: to hold the interest of strongly
a story that grips the reader
gripper
noun
1
a
: a strong or tenacious grasp
had a good grip on the tennis racket
b
: strength in gripping
c
: manner or style of gripping
the balanced grip of an expert golfer
2
a
: a firm tenacious hold typically giving control, mastery, or understanding
has the country in his grip
b
: mental grasp
can't seem to get a grip on [=gain a good understanding of] calculus
… I'm curious to see if preteens have a grip on this fairly sophisticated concept.—
John Hoffman
John Hoffman3
: a part or device for gripping
4
: a part by which something is grasped
especially
: handle
5
: suitcase
6
a
: a stage worker who handles scenery, properties, or lights : stagehand
b
: a technician on a motion-picture or television set who handles and maintains equipment (such as cameras and their dollies and cranes)
Synonyms
Examples of grip in a Sentence
Verb
The little boy gripped his mother's hand tightly.
I gripped the door handle and pulled as hard as I could.
The story really grips the reader.
The scandal has gripped the nation.
Noun
His tennis instructor showed him the proper backhand grip.
a golfer with an incorrect grip
He has been doing all he can to maintain his grip on the company's finances.
I need new grips for my golf clubs.
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Recent Examples on the WebJessica Kasparian, SELF, 27 Nov. 2023
The days when scores of customers camped out at big-box retailers or trampled one another in the rush to get cheap televisions may be gone, but Black Friday is still shorthand for the shopping frenzy that grips Americans this time each year.
—J. Edward Moreno, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2023
The gripping true crime documentary explores the peculiar dynamics of this community of 11 residents, revealing that the seemingly sleepy town is in fact rife with animosity.
—Refinery29 Australia Team, refinery29.com, 23 Nov. 2023
Here's a gripping conversation starter to bring up over your family's Thanksgiving feast this year: Health officials in Michigan have identified an alarming cluster of syphilis infections in women's eyes.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 22 Nov. 2023
The country is already gripped by political deadlock and teetering on economic collapse.
—Liz Sly, Washington Post, 19 Nov. 2023
She’s driven and gifted, and there’s a desperation to her circumstances that remains gripping even when other aspects of the doc go slack.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Nov. 2023
Stafford tried but was unable to grip a ball on the sideline.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023
There’s also The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist, a three-episode series about the notorious Bling Ring burglaries committed by teenagers who broke into celebrities' homes in the Hollywood Hills in a case that gripped the nation more than a decade ago.
—Dana Feldman, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
Adil Rashid, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2023
This thoughtful accessory is perfect for those chilly morning drives, providing a cozy and comfortable grip on the steering wheel.
—Poppy Morgan, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2023
In the last four years, however, a chill has swept through the streaming industry in India as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party tightened its grip on the country’s political discourse and the American technology platforms that host it.
—Anant Gupta, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023
Who is going to get out of the grip of the predator and heal in just a few years?
—August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2023
The list includes directors, editors, grips, makeup artists, props suppliers and location managers, among dozens of other professions that make a production go round.
—Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Nov. 2023
Second factor tightening the grip: persistently high inflation RA predicts that the Fed will be unable to consistently hold inflation at its target rate of 2%, and that the CPI will wax well above the Central Bank’s ideal at an average at 2.6% over the next decade.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 16 Nov. 2023
Xi Jinping has amassed an iron grip on power at home, while increasing the Communist Party's influence over China's economy and society.
—Selina Wang, ABC News, 16 Nov. 2023
With three soothing colors—that each correspond with a different tension level—and an inner grip, the thick, fabric bands stretch nicely, feel comfortable, and stay put.
—Hannah Dylan Pasternak, SELF, 14 Nov. 2023
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Verb
Nike’s Metcon 8 training sneakers are designed for gym and outdoor strength workouts with rubber bottoms that’ll grip the floor or pavement.
—Jessica Kasparian, SELF, 27 Nov. 2023
The days when scores of customers camped out at big-box retailers or trampled one another in the rush to get cheap televisions may be gone, but Black Friday is still shorthand for the shopping frenzy that grips Americans this time each year.
—J. Edward Moreno, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2023
The gripping true crime documentary explores the peculiar dynamics of this community of 11 residents, revealing that the seemingly sleepy town is in fact rife with animosity.
—Refinery29 Australia Team, refinery29.com, 23 Nov. 2023
Here's a gripping conversation starter to bring up over your family's Thanksgiving feast this year: Health officials in Michigan have identified an alarming cluster of syphilis infections in women's eyes.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 22 Nov. 2023
The country is already gripped by political deadlock and teetering on economic collapse.
—Liz Sly, Washington Post, 19 Nov. 2023
She’s driven and gifted, and there’s a desperation to her circumstances that remains gripping even when other aspects of the doc go slack.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Nov. 2023
Stafford tried but was unable to grip a ball on the sideline.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023
There’s also The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist, a three-episode series about the notorious Bling Ring burglaries committed by teenagers who broke into celebrities' homes in the Hollywood Hills in a case that gripped the nation more than a decade ago.
—Dana Feldman, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
Noun
The national poll is less than six months away, and if history is any guide there is little chance that the government will relinquish its grip on the airwaves.
—Adil Rashid, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2023
This thoughtful accessory is perfect for those chilly morning drives, providing a cozy and comfortable grip on the steering wheel.
—Poppy Morgan, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2023
In the last four years, however, a chill has swept through the streaming industry in India as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party tightened its grip on the country’s political discourse and the American technology platforms that host it.
—Anant Gupta, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023
Who is going to get out of the grip of the predator and heal in just a few years?
—August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2023
The list includes directors, editors, grips, makeup artists, props suppliers and location managers, among dozens of other professions that make a production go round.
—Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Nov. 2023
Second factor tightening the grip: persistently high inflation RA predicts that the Fed will be unable to consistently hold inflation at its target rate of 2%, and that the CPI will wax well above the Central Bank’s ideal at an average at 2.6% over the next decade.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 16 Nov. 2023
Xi Jinping has amassed an iron grip on power at home, while increasing the Communist Party's influence over China's economy and society.
—Selina Wang, ABC News, 16 Nov. 2023
With three soothing colors—that each correspond with a different tension level—and an inner grip, the thick, fabric bands stretch nicely, feel comfortable, and stay put.
—Hannah Dylan Pasternak, SELF, 14 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grip.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb and Noun
Middle English grippen, from Old English grippan; akin to Old English grīpan
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of grip was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing grip
Dictionary Entries Near grip
Cite this Entry
“Grip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grip. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
grip
1 of 2 verb
gripped; gripping
1
: to seize firmly
2
: to hold strongly the interest of
the story grips the reader
grip
2 of 2 noun1
a
: a firm grasp
b
: strength in gripping
c
: a way of clasping the hand by which members of a secret society recognize or greet one another
2
a
: a firm hold giving control
in the grip of winter
3
: a part or device for gripping or by which something is grasped
especially
: handle entry 1 sense 1
4
: suitcase
More from Merriam-Webster on grip
Nglish: Translation of grip for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of grip for Arabic Speakers
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