grumbling

1 of 2

noun

grum·​bling ˈgrəm-b(ə-)liŋ 

plural grumblings

1

: a mutter of discontent : complaint

Operators of bars and restaurants, who hear the first-hand grumblings of customers on the boardwalk, tend to oppose the ordinance.

—Kevin Robinson

2

: a growling or reverberating noise : rumbling

On a shorter timescale, researchers and governments are working together to detect the first grumblings of an earthquake and alert communities that might be affected.

—Eva Botkin-Kowacki

grumbling

2 of 2

adjective

1

: expressing discontent especially by muttering

Meanwhile, grumbling fans wondered why the new coach hadn't hired any Ohioans for his staff.

—Erick Adelson

2

: making a low, heavy, rolling sound

There was no sound, still, but the rushing river and the grumbling, looming storm.

—Susan Cooper

grumblingly

ˈgrəm-b(ə-)liŋ-lē 

adverb

Some marine park wardens were doing a quick flyover, perhaps to check that we weren't poachers, and Al grumblingly went below to answer the crackling radio.

—Tony Perrottet

Examples of grumbling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And the owner certainly didn’t miss the grumbling about any of that. —Jayson Stark, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025

But there are some grumblings out there that contend the film, which Anderson had worked on for decades, is actually the wrong film at the wrong time rather than the opposite. —James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025

There were grumblings about the group’s plans to develop a hotel on the Peconic Bay Vineyards in Cutchogue, on the North Fork, but Stacey was also named Northforker’s 2021 businessperson of the year. —Kim Velsey, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2025

But, as evidenced by the grumbling as Senators shuffled around the room, the immutable fact is that Kennedy still has Trump’s confidence. —Philip Elliott, Time, 4 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for grumbling

• bumbling
• crumbling
• fumbling
• humbling
• mumbling
• rumbling
• stumbling
• tumbling