gripe

1 of 2

verb

ˈgrīp 

griped; griping

intransitive verb

1

: to complain with grumbling

Students griped about having too much homework.

2

: to experience gripes

transitive verb

1

a

: irritate, vex

griped by the new regulations

b

: afflict, distress

2

: to cause pinching and spasmodic pain in the bowels of

3

archaic : seize, grasp

griper noun

gripe

2 of 2

noun

1

: grievance, complaint

Her main gripe was his utter lack of ambition.

2

: a pinching spasmodic intestinal pain

—usually used in plural

3

archaic : clutch, grasp

broadly : control, mastery

Synonyms

Verb

• annoy
• bother
• bug
• irritate
• persecute

Noun

• whine
• complaint
• moan
• grievance
• fuss
• lament

Examples of gripe in a Sentence

Verb

All of the workers were griping about the new regulations.

The students griped that they had too much homework.

Noun

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Even wrapped in paper, the stench of the aptly named stinkhorn mushrooms was overpowering, but the woman stifled a laugh upon overhearing two other passengers gripe about the swarm of flies around them. —Alla Katsnelson, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025

Matthew Rankin, a Canadian historian and prankster, has concocted a starkly enchanting Winnipeg where Farsi is the main language of storefronts, guided tours and everyday grievances, like the woman who gripes about sharing a bus with a live turkey. —Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2025

Noun

Our only other gripe would be yearning for more pockets. —Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 26 June 2025

Stringer reportedly moved to the neighborhood in 1982 and fielded locals’ gripes while working as district coordinator for then-assemblyman and now-congressman Jerry Nadler. —Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 4 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

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

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for gripe

• hype
• lipe
• pipe
• ripe
• sipe
• skype
• snipe
• stipe
• stripe
• strype
• swipe
• tripe

Kids Definition

gripe

1 of 2 verb

ˈgrīp 

griped; griping

1

archaic : to seize firmly : grip

2

a

: afflict, distress

b

: irritate sense 1, vex

laziness gripes our teacher

3

: to cause or experience spasms of pain in the intestines

4

: complain sense 1

griper noun

gripe

2 of 2 noun

1

: grip entry 2 sense 1

2

a

: affliction sense 1

b

: complaint sense 1

3

: a spasm of pain in the intestines

Medical Definition

gripe

1 of 2 verb

ˈgrīp 

griped; griping

transitive verb

: to cause pinching and spasmodic pain in the bowels of

intransitive verb

: to experience gripes

gripe

2 of 2 noun

: a pinching spasmodic intestinal pain

—usually used in plural