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.
And telling a gripping, poignant, heartbreaking story through that footage and some interviews was outstanding. Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026 Though its director, writer, and star Orson Welles dismissed the movie because it was recut by the studio (indeed, several versions are floating around out there), this is still a gripping post-war crime thriller with great performances and a slick visual style. Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026 Scott Feinberg presents a gripping oral history of The Oscars That Survived the Pandemic — as told by dozens of first-hand observers from Anthony Fauci to Steven Soderbergh. Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026 This is Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy, a gripping portrait of a young prince caught between action and inaction, grief and rage, truth and deception. Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Mar. 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 20 Mar. 2026.

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