grip

verb

\ ˈgrip

gripped; gripping

Definition of grip

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to seize or hold firmly gripped the door handle

2 : to hold the interest of strongly a story that grips the reader

grip

noun

Definition of grip (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : 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

2a : 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 calculus

3 : a part or device for gripping

4 : a part by which something is grasped especially : handle

5 : suitcase

6a : 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)

Other Words from grip Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about grip

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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.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

There is nothing in literature that grips the mind with greater force, almost breath-stopping in its awfulness… and there is nothing in literature more beautiful than its conclusion. — Joy Lanzendorfer, Longreads, "Ghost Writer: The Story of Patience Worth, the Posthumous Author," 14 June 2018 Anxiety gripped his body and wouldn’t let go, spreading from his lower back. — Alden Woods, azcentral, "Bentinho Massaro's Sedona Experiment: How the search for enlightenment led to a digital cult," 18 Apr. 2018 But even better than their looks is their special soft spike outsole that is curved to be optimal for gripping and rotating on grass. — Jake Woolf, GQ, "The Best Golf Shirts, Shoes, Pants and More For Men of Style," 5 Apr. 2018 The boss grips the boy’s neck in his clawlike hand, and walks him to the door. — Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, "Treatments," 24 Mar. 2018 The real, shocking events that led to Aaron Hernandez’s harrowing fall from NFL stardom gripped America’s attention and imprinted itself on today’s cultural zeitgeist. — Staff Report, Houston Chronicle, "Fort Bend County Fair honors longtime supporters in the Pattersons," 20 Mar. 2018 Layton’s direction of the robbery itself is nicely slick, his cast is handsome and charming (particularly the nervy Peters), and the first hour of the film, which sees their plan unfold, is undeniably gripping. — David Sims, The Atlantic, "The Slick but Empty True Crime of American Animals," 1 June 2018 Users have griped about missing deposits, trouble withdrawing funds, locked accounts, and months-long silences on support issues. — Robert Hackett, Fortune, "The Video Cloud video is not playable.," 26 Feb. 2018 Trump has griped that Rosenstein did not go far enough in declaring that he was cleared of wrongdoing and grew angry when his national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, gave credence to the notion that Russia's meddling affected the election. — Catherine Lucey And Jonathan Lemire, Houston Chronicle, "Trump fumes about FBI and Russia as nation mourns," 18 Feb. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Many investors saw that tie-up, of Cheil Industries Inc. and Samsung C&T Corp., as a way for Mr. Lee to strengthen his grip on the conglomerate. — Timothy W. Martin, WSJ, "South Korea Regulator Says Samsung BioLogics Violated Accounting Rules," 12 July 2018 While struggling with that woman, whose name has not been released, Blessing lost her grip on the gun. — CBS News, ""Bizarre": Arizona woman, 92, shoots 72-year-old son to death, police say," 4 July 2018 Elsewhere in Group F, Mexico take on South Korea, and will be looking to secure their second set of three points in order to strengthen their grip on making it to the last 16. — SI.com, "Mats Hummels Ruled Out of Germany's Crucial Sweden Encounter With 'Cervical Vertebrae Injury'," 22 June 2018 Four decades on, the Miss Hong Kong pageant seems to have lost its powerful grip on the local population.... — Monitor Editors, The Christian Science Monitor, "How Trump would have viewed an Obama-Kim summit, Trump-Kim summit sparks hope of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, Trump’s G7 affront to common values, Australia to combat Russian election interference, Beauty pageants are rapidly losing their appeal," 22 June 2018 Romero struck out the first two batters of the game and then got Trey Hair to swing and miss, which resulted in Hair losing his grip on the bat. — Randy Mcroberts, The Aegis, "IronBirds don't score, drop season opener, 4-0, to Hudson Valley," 16 June 2018 Republicans are losing their grip on wealthier places like Chester County. — NBC News, "Meet the Press -May 20, 2018," 20 May 2018 However, the Zorro licensor may have lost its grip. — Eriq Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Zorro' Licensor, in Role Reversal, Faces Trial for Copyright Infringement," 14 May 2018 Maryland could strengthen its grip on the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament with a win. — Edward Lee, baltimoresun.com, "Men's lacrosse Game of the Week: No. 2 Maryland vs. No. 11 Rutgers," 3 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'grip.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.