grope

verb

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\ ˈgrōp

groped; groping

Definition of grope

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to feel about blindly or uncertainly in search grope for the light switch

2 : to look for something blindly or uncertainly grope for the right words

3 : to feel one's way groped along the dark passage

transitive verb

1 : feel up claims that her boss tried to grope her

2 : to find (one's way) by groping

grope

noun

plural gropes

Definition of grope (Entry 2 of 2)

: an act of groping made a grope for the light switch And what are these clumsy, embarrassing, fumbling encounters if they are not passes, beery gropes in the dark?— Nick Hornby

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Other Words from grope Synonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing grope Learn More About grope

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Examples of grope in a Sentence

Verb I groped for the light switch. She groped around in her purse, looking for her comb. We groped along the dark passage. She claims that her boss tried to grope her.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Big swings have been jerking markets around in recent weeks as investors grope to guess how much economic damage Russia's invasion of Ukraine will do. — Arkansas Online, 10 Mar. 2022 Skip moves close to Candy, near enough to grope her. — Mark Jacobson, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2021 This leaves the rest of us to grope around in the dark and hazard guesses. — Chris Roberts, Forbes, 30 Aug. 2021 The people who write about cities—I’ve done it myself—also tend to grope for organizing metaphors in current science. — Adam Rogers, Wired, 10 Aug. 2021 The clock isn't going back to a time when a young White man could get drunk, grope women, and brag about his parents' money. — Jay Parini, CNN, 7 Aug. 2021 Yet even as Lebanon began last year to grope through one of its darkest moments, volunteers came from every corner of the country to help. — Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Aug. 2021 Around the same time, Anna Donner told her bosses that Yohner had tried to grope her. — James Barragán, Dallas News, 14 May 2021 An older boy pulled out a knife, called her a slur, told her to go back to her country and then tried to kiss and grope her. — oregonlive, 8 May 2021 See More

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

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