gripping

adjective

grip·​ping ˈgri-piŋ How to pronounce gripping (audio)
Synonyms of grippingnext
: taking a powerful hold upon one's interest or feelings
a gripping thriller
Shabba Ranks has a gripping baritone voice that ranges from bedroom purr to locker-room-boast roar.Mark Coleman
grippingly adverb
a grippingly honest performance

Examples of gripping in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With Zachary Levi and Liam Neeson leading the charge, the film delivers both gripping action and emotional depth. Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026 In what was an otherwise pretty gripping and funny first episode, Tribal Council was kind of a dud. Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Feb. 2026 That’s thanks in one part to a gripping flash-forward narrative structure now so common it could be considered a cliché, and in another to Glenn Close’s indelible performance as ruthless litigator Patty Hewes. Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026 Even in fuzzy definition, the drama was gripping, and the stakes felt real. Kristen Geil, Outside, 24 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gripping

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gripping was in 1896

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gripping.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gripping. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.

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