grumble

verb

grum·​ble ˈgrəm-bəl 

grumbled; grumbling ˈgrəm-b(ə-)liŋ 

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

ˈgrəm-b(ə-)lər 

noun

grumbly

ˈgrəm-b(ə-)lē 

adjective

Synonyms of grumble

• complain
• scream
• whine
• moan

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

Throughout the recording, Taylor makes dramatic leaps from grumbling rhythms in his piano’s lower register and dizzying runs in its upper reaches. — Levi Dayan, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2026

As a cabaret musician who entertains the troops, Penélope Cruz is a wickedly brassy marvel—vamping up a storm one minute, grumbling about her menstrual cycle the next, and eventually coaxing even Sebastián out of his mopey shell. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2026

The documentary premiered on the BBC first, which is how American embassy workers and journalists based in the UK got a look at the film — and started grumbling. — Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026

Coopop Except there’s no gasoline engine grumbling beneath it. — New Atlas, 28 Oct. 2026

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

Rhymes for grumble

• bumble
• crumble
• fumble
• humble
• jumble
• mumble
• rumble
• stumble
• tumble
• umbel

Kids Definition

grumble

verb

grum·​ble ˈgrəm-bəl 

grumbled; grumbling -b(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to mutter in discontent

2

: rumble entry 1

grumble noun

grumbler

-b(ə-)lər 

noun

grumblingly

-ˌb(ə-)liŋ-lē 

adverb