grumble

verb

grum·​ble ˈgrəm-bəl How to pronounce grumble (audio)
grumbled; grumbling ˈgrəm-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce grumble (audio)
Synonyms of grumblenext

intransitive verb

1
: to mutter in discontent
grumbled about the scarcity of jobs
2
: growl, rumble
My stomach is grumbling.
Thunder grumbled in the distance.

transitive verb

: to express with grumbling
grumbled his annoyance
grumble noun
grumbler noun
grumbly adjective

Examples of grumble in a Sentence

There's been a lot of grumbling among the employees. Some of the customers have been grumbling about poor service. Fans grumbled about the team's poor play. “When are we going to leave?” he grumbled. We could hear thunder grumbling in the distance.
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.
Previous efforts to ban the use of polystyrene or single-use plastics in Connecticut have fallen short in the face of opposition from the food industry, as well as public grumbling over the quality of more environmentally-friendly alternatives, such as paper straws. John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026 While DiCaprio is experiencing failure for the first time, Wahlberg’s box-office bona fides continue to expand, even if the critics like to grumble about his limitations as an actor. Joe Reid, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026 Dallas stumbled, fumbled and grumbled its way to a 122-92 loss, which was somehow not its most lopsided game of the season. Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 9 Mar. 2026 My gut, which is enormously large, grumbles that coach Ime Udoka may want to continue trotting out length and size when everyone’s healthy, which would relegate Sheppard back to a reserve role. Stan Son, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grumble

Word History

Etymology

probably from Middle French grommeler, ultimately from Middle Dutch grommen; akin to Old High German grimm grim

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of grumble was in 1580

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grumble. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

grumble

verb
grum·​ble ˈgrəm-bəl How to pronounce grumble (audio)
grumbled; grumbling -b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce grumble (audio)
1
: to mutter in discontent
2
grumble noun
grumbler noun
grumblingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on grumble

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