1
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
2
as in fascinated
to hold the attention of as if by a spell
that true crime story gripped me as much as any whodunit
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in interested
to hold the attention of
that movie will grip any true sports car fan
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of gripped
In recent months, Iran had been gripped by nationwide protests fueled by widespread economic discontent and fury with the government.
—
Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 1 Mar. 2026
Under a blazing sun, the green sea turtle thwapped the surface of the San Gabriel River with her sole front flipper as aquarium staffers gripped her shell.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Despite the challenges, many charity kitchens remain the only reliable food source in areas gripped by conflict and a place people can come to and give each other support, Semsaya said.
—ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
Over the past week, a highly speculative piece of financial fiction has gripped Wall Street.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
Flaherty and others said western Wisconsin has been especially hard-hit, and a pervasive sense of fear has gripped immigrants and the residents who help them.
—Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 26 Feb. 2026
Guadalajara was nearly shut down on Sunday as violence gripped the city, with the city's international airport only operating at a limited capacity.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 24 Feb. 2026
At Union St Gilloise in October, Woltemade pleaded his case and then looked distraught when Gordon gripped the ball and converted.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Nail artist Sojin Oh’s XXL press-on nails gripped Kim Shui’s collection like those of a fashion vampire headed straight to the front row of Taymour’s Collina Strada runway.
—Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026
Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 1 Mar. 2026
Under a blazing sun, the green sea turtle thwapped the surface of the San Gabriel River with her sole front flipper as aquarium staffers gripped her shell.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Despite the challenges, many charity kitchens remain the only reliable food source in areas gripped by conflict and a place people can come to and give each other support, Semsaya said.
—ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
Over the past week, a highly speculative piece of financial fiction has gripped Wall Street.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
Flaherty and others said western Wisconsin has been especially hard-hit, and a pervasive sense of fear has gripped immigrants and the residents who help them.
—Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 26 Feb. 2026
Guadalajara was nearly shut down on Sunday as violence gripped the city, with the city's international airport only operating at a limited capacity.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 24 Feb. 2026
At Union St Gilloise in October, Woltemade pleaded his case and then looked distraught when Gordon gripped the ball and converted.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Nail artist Sojin Oh’s XXL press-on nails gripped Kim Shui’s collection like those of a fashion vampire headed straight to the front row of Taymour’s Collina Strada runway.
—Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gripped
Verb
-
The Chinese speedskater leaped into the air, fists clenched, joy bursting from every pore.—
Rick Maese,
Washington Post,
19 Feb. 2026
-
My stomach clenched with worry.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As a teen in a small Illinois town, America’s bicentennial in 1976 fascinated me.—
Edwin C. Yohnka,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Mar. 2026
-
She is fascinated by style trends, industry news, shake-ups, and The Real Housewives.—
Alexandra Hildreth,
Vogue,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
These stories are not only fun to read, but also provide valuable information about ideas that interested early Christians.—
Christy Cobb,
The Conversation,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The character that interested me was (his alter ego) Norman Osborn.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Marcus Smart and Austin Reaves earned a pair of technical fouls in the second quarter after Celtics small forward Jaylen Brown sent an elbow into Smart’s face on his way to the rim as Boston grasped a 36-33 lead.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Few investors had heard of the World Wide Web, let alone grasped its commercial potential.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
An elderly, white-bearded man clutched a walking staff, like an urban Gandalf, disseminating wise vibes.—
Brian Barth,
Mercury News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Benedict is still all in with love, convincingly enough that Sophie sneaks back to her room, glowing and grinning, with the drawing of Our Cottage clutched in her hands.—
Christina Grace Tucker,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Irvi was enchanted and unnerved by Oaxaca’s clear blue skies, unmarred by skyscrapers.—
Caitlin Dickerson,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Along with the clear Bowie and Orbison inspiration, the album’s influences reflect the tastes of someone recently enchanted by the romance of California.—
Millan Verma,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But he was intrigued that George Washington appointed Adams to his first diplomatic post and Adams later served in Congress with Abe Lincoln.—
Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Spoelstra, who has been named the head coach of Team USA for the Los Angeles Games, is intrigued by that possibility.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The rapper, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested in September 2024.—
Daniel S. Levine,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gripped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gripped. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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