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
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Recent Examples of gripped
As a lead disappeared, a normally calm and collected Stafford gripped his blue and gold helmet and spiked it into the turf at Nissan Stadium.
—
Nate Atkins, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
International headlines often paint Haiti as a nation gripped by crisis — from political unrest and economic hardship to uncertainty about the future and unruly crime.
—Footwear News, 12 Sep. 2025
In the meantime, the most appropriate feeling is sadness for a dead man’s widow and children and for a nation gripped in terrible division.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
This isn’t the first time typhus has gripped Texas.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025
Film scores in particular and the way that music creates excitement and drama gripped him.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025
On Monday, demonstrations gripped Kathmandu and police opened fire on the crowds, killing at least 19 people.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
The show keeps viewers gripped as it is set before, during and after the war with each period revealing different aspects of his affair.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Read about the poisoning case that has gripped much of the world’s attention.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
Nate Atkins, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
International headlines often paint Haiti as a nation gripped by crisis — from political unrest and economic hardship to uncertainty about the future and unruly crime.
—Footwear News, 12 Sep. 2025
In the meantime, the most appropriate feeling is sadness for a dead man’s widow and children and for a nation gripped in terrible division.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
This isn’t the first time typhus has gripped Texas.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025
Film scores in particular and the way that music creates excitement and drama gripped him.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025
On Monday, demonstrations gripped Kathmandu and police opened fire on the crowds, killing at least 19 people.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
The show keeps viewers gripped as it is set before, during and after the war with each period revealing different aspects of his affair.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Read about the poisoning case that has gripped much of the world’s attention.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gripped
Verb
-
Lalay, a 15-foot crocodile, was not amused and spent half an hour thrashing around with the man’s leg clenched in her teeth, until the park owner clocked her over the head with a block of concrete to get her to let go.—
Kassondra Cloos,
Outside,
10 Sep. 2025
-
And then there’s Eros, also known as Cupid, who flies away with his little buttocks clenched at the least hint of a rational process.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Molina, who is fascinated by silver screen legend Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez), distracts himself and Valentín with a recounting of his favorite film of hers — The Kiss of the Spider Woman.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Sep. 2025
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That kind of content always fascinated me, both sides of it, actually, the victimology and the perpetrator’s perspective.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Carney said his and Jerome’s first trip to Finland interested two companies in Mooresville.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Sep. 2025
-
What interested me about Warren’s book was the emotional honesty and the intimacy of an artist that most people didn’t realize was going through one of the most painful times of his life.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
This thoughtful composition from Yang Bo was taken in the sky over Nanjing, China during totality, creating the illusion that the blood moon is being grasped in the claw of a vast stone dragon.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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The robot must determine where the object can be safely grasped, whether surfaces will slip or break under pressure, and how weight is distributed.—
Tejasri Gururaj,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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According to The Cut, Tami also impersonated Kendra for her last Halloween party, dressing as a scarecrow in a prison jumpsuit paired with a mask of her mugshot and phones clutched in its hands.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Zarutska clutched her throat and collapsed.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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And to those of you who are new, I'm enchanted to meet you.—
Michelle Lee,
People.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Experts warn against becoming enchanted with the latest flashy tool.—
Carolyn Said,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The news, at the time, intrigued the fashion world.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Hanna When Kirsten Becken first reached out to me about joining the Femxphotographers collective, I was both flattered and intrigued.—
Caterina De Biasio,
Vogue,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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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 17 Sep. 2025.
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