GRIPPED Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words

gripped

verb

Definition of gripped next

past tense of grip

as in clenched

to have or keep in one's hands gripped the handlebars tightly and raced down the hill

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in fascinated

to hold the attention of as if by a spell that true crime story gripped me as much as any whodunit

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as in interested

to hold the attention of that movie will grip any true sports car fan

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in grasped

to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms the baby gripped my fingers and wouldn't let go

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of gripped Without rain in the forecast for the next seven days, the extreme drought that has gripped the Interstate 35 corridor, including the Austin metro area, parts of the Texas Hill Country and much of the region's watersheds is likely to not only persist but also intensify. —

Roberto Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 21 Mar. 2026 Inflation fears have gripped global markets, causing Treasury yields to jump Thursday as gold and silver prices plummet. —

Jake Angelo, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026 The classic image is an Igloo cooler gripped by a medical worker leaping off a helicopter. —

Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 16 Mar. 2026 Scrubs star Zach Braff just gripped his hand tightly around the Streisand-effect lever and heaved it down hard. —

Megh Wright, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026 In the video, one young man can be seen repeatedly beating an individual lying on the ground while another suspect gripped the victim’s foot, restraining him in place. —

Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 11 Mar. 2026 Worries about the war have sidelined other concerns that had gripped the market in recent weeks around private credit risks and the disruptive — potentially disinflationary — impact of artificial intelligence. —

Michael MacKenzie, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026 Johnson then gripped the child by the neck and shoved a bottle repeatedly in and out of the baby’s mouth. —

Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 6 Mar. 2026 The case gripped not just France, but sent shockwaves around the whole world. —

Literary Hub, 4 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gripped

Verb

Among many Niger Deltans, there’s a mixture of ignorance, nonchalance, and clenched resignation around the industry’s environmental dangers, which take a back seat as folks get on with the business of everyday survival.

— Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
After Barrett finished the sequence with a dunk on the other end, Barnes turned back to his bench, clenched his fists and screamed.

— Eric Koreen, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2026