gripe

verb \ ˈgrīp \

Updated on: 21 Apr 2018

Definition of gripe

griped; griping

transitive verb

1 archaic : seize, grasp

2 a : afflict, distress

b : irritate, vex

griped by the new regulations

3 : to cause pinching and spasmodic pain in the bowels of

intransitive verb

1 : to experience gripes

2 : to complain with grumbling

Students griped about having too much homework.

—

griper

noun

See gripe defined for English-language learners

See gripe defined for kids

Examples of gripe in a Sentence

All of the workers were griping about the new regulations.
The students griped that they had too much homework.

Recent Examples of gripe from the Web

The raid followed several instances in what people called the name brands to gripe about bumps and rashes, reports KABC.

— sean rossman, USA TODAY, "Bootleg makeup contained animal feces, human waste, Los Angeles police say," 14 Apr. 2018
Americans gripe about bad deals and unfair practices, while ignoring the barriers imposed by Washington.

— kimberley a. strassel, WSJ, "Use Nafta to Ease Regulation," 12 Apr. 2018
Even so, Mutumuara’s gripe with the Red Cross seemed deeply personal, a vendetta over a long record of neighborly grievances.

— Longreads, "Where Have You Hidden the Cholera?," 5 Apr. 2018
This ode to Hollywood’s Golden Age seamlessly combines live-action and animation, as cartoon characters ramble through kaleidoscopic capers and then step off set into 1947 Los Angeles to gripe about their paychecks.

— andrew r. chow, New York Times, "What’s on TV Thursday: ‘Siren’ and ‘Atlanta’," 29 Mar. 2018
Analysts gripe that Renault’s alliance is too fiddly to value.

— The Economist, "Corporate citizens of somewhere," 22 Mar. 2018
Every year, fans gripe when their teams don’t make the N.C.A.A. tournament, sometimes for good reason.

— zach schonbrun, New York Times, "The 4 Teams Snubbed from the 2018 N.C.A.A. Tournament," 12 Mar. 2018
For many students, casually endorsing communism is a cool, edgy way to gripe about the world.

— james freeman, WSJ, "Still Thankful," 24 Nov. 2017
Perhaps the city’s identity clings to its championships and their fans are less likely to gripe about a struggling team.

— aubrey nagle, Philly.com, "Why Pittsburgh is Pa.'s sports capital, Trump's Jerusalem declaration, birth control's cancer risk | Morning Newsletter," 7 Dec. 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of gripe

Middle English, from Old English grīpan; akin to Old High German grīfan to grasp, Lithuanian griebti

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

gripe Synonyms

Phrases

kick up a fuss;

gripe

noun

Definition of gripe

1 archaic : clutch, grasp; broadly : control, mastery

2 : a pinching spasmodic intestinal pain —usually used in plural

3 : grievance, complaint

Her main gripe was his utter lack of ambition.

Examples of gripe in a Sentence

I would rather not listen to gripes about your latest disasters in the dating game.

Recent Examples of gripe from the Web

My first gripe: The jade roller picked up a lot of my moisturizer.

— deanna pai, Glamour, "I Asked Jade Roller Obsessives to Convince Me If I Need One," 13 Apr. 2018
Will Zuckerberg be flustered by senators' gripes and tough questions?

— callum borchers, Washington Post, "3 things to watch for when Mark Zuckerberg testifies to Congress," 10 Apr. 2018
Post your gripes on social media, tagging the property.

— ronda kaysen, New York Times, "Should a Landlord Refund a Fee for Amenities That Aren’t Available Yet?," 7 Apr. 2018
Over the next 15 minutes, White House staffers would try at least a half dozen more times to move reporters out of the room, only to have the president stop them with another gripe or plea for credit.

— jenna johnson, courant.com, "An airing of grievances: Trump spends days issuing a torrent of complaints against foes," 4 Apr. 2018
Share your favorites or gripes with our list in the comments section.

— cleveland.com, "50 best TV pilots of all-time," 12 Feb. 2018
The joy of a Real Housewives series lies in the relationships that viewers form with the characters over time, the annual tradition of rehashing petty gripes and wantonly forging new ones.

— philip bump, Town & Country, "Why The Real Housewives Are the Perfect Guilty Pleasure," 30 May 2017
His main gripes have to do with the idea of people seeking asylum and on protections for immigrants in custody.

— z. byron wolf, CNN, "Donald Trump has changed his immigration rhetoric in one very important way," 4 Apr. 2018
At least four states this year have mobilized, often with similar gripes.

— sean rossman, USA TODAY, "Teachers are striking all over. What is going on?," 30 Mar. 2018

Origin and Etymology of gripe

see ¹gripe

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

gripe Synonyms

Synonyms

beef, bleat, carp, complaint, fuss, grievance, grouch, grouse, grumble, holler, lament, moan, murmur, plaint, squawk, wail, whimper, whine, yammer;

Near Antonyms

commendation, compliment, plaudit;

acclaim, applause, praise;

approval, endorsement (also indorsement), sanction;

GRIPE Defined for English Language Learners

gripe

verb

Definition of gripe for English Language Learners

: to complain about something

GRIPE Defined for Kids

gripe

verb \ ˈgrīp \

Definition of gripe for Students

griped; griping

: complain

gripe

noun

Definition of gripe for Students

: complaint 1

Medical Dictionary

gripe

verb \ ˈgrīp \

medical Definition of gripe

griped; griping

transitive verb

: to cause pinching and spasmodic pain in the bowels of

intransitive verb

: to experience gripes

gripe

noun

medical Definition of gripe

: a pinching spasmodic intestinal pain —usually used in plural

Learn More about gripe

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gripe

Definition of gripe

griper

Examples of gripe in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of gripe

gripe Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

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Related Words

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gripe

Definition of gripe

Examples of gripe in a Sentence

Recent Examples of gripe from the Web

Origin and Etymology of gripe

gripe Synonyms

Synonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

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Related Phrases

GRIPE Defined for English Language Learners

gripe

Definition of gripe for English Language Learners

GRIPE Defined for Kids

gripe

Definition of gripe for Students

gripe

Definition of gripe for Students

Medical Dictionary

gripe

medical Definition of gripe

gripe

medical Definition of gripe

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