grip

1 of 2

verb

gripped; gripping

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
gripper noun

grip

2 of 2

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
3
: a part or device for gripping
4
: a part by which something is grasped
especially : handle
5
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)

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
Director Dan Reed was given extensive access to the Austin courtroom during the Texas trial, resulting in gripping footage of genuine legal drama. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 This is the gripping account of the sisters' campaign against brutal dictator General Rafael Leónidas Trujillo. Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 But dread grips the public, and these leaders currently have no real standing in the absence of a U.S. President detailing a plan, proving the support of Arab allies, and warning Israel of the dire consequences of defying him. Bernard Avishai, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2024 Kelly’s narrative includes gripping accounts of these military operations. Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Mar. 2024 Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) Carl Franklin's Devil in a Blue Dress, starring Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle, is a gripping neo-noir that transports viewers to 1948 Los Angeles. Travis Bean, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 The connection becomes more and more concrete as director Shannon R. Davis’ gripping staging goes on, with James Ard’s sound design ramping up the tension at critical moments. Sam Hurwitt, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2024 For most of last year, the town was gripped by devastating work stoppages thanks to strikes launched by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024 But this one gripped me with its super eerie vibe and strong female leads who aren’t just bland, boring Strong Female Leads. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024
Noun
On a recent podcast, filmmaker Steven Soderbergh pivoted the conversation to Alfred Hitchcock’s work, examining why, decades later, the auteur’s grip on audiences remains so tight. Kishori Rajan, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024 Vehicle speed — When a vehicle’s speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases. Star-Telegram Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2024 For now, though, Trump’s grip on the Party is viselike, and support for the Reagan-Ryan brand of Republicanism seems to be largely confined to the Party’s big donors, such as the Koch brothers, whose network supported Haley. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2024 The rubber lining also helps provide a firm grip on the lids, which makes opening as easy as a turn of the hand. Michelle Love, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Mar. 2024 The European Union is attempting to loosen the grip that companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google have over the digital economy. Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 6 Mar. 2024 This offseason, Lyles changed the grip on his curveball. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2024 This toy features a double-loop grip that relieves your fingers of any stress. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 3 Mar. 2024 Yet Republican leaders could also sell a Bost endorsement to Trump because he’s seen as a loyal supporter of the former president – a sign of his enduring grip on the House GOP and party’s base. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024

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

Dictionary Entries Near grip

Cite this Entry

“Grip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grip. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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 noun
1
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

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