as in interesting
holding the attention or provoking interest
I found the exhibit on the Holocaust intensely gripping and quite moving
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in clenching
to have or keep in one's hands
gripped the handlebars tightly and raced down the hill
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fascinating
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 intriguing
to hold the attention of
that movie will grip any true sports car fan
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in grasping
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 gripping
Kristen Geil, Outside, 24 Feb. 2026
The land of sorcerers, dragons and savagery played out across eight gripping series, drawing millions of viewers into the fictional worlds of Westeros, Essos, and beyond.
—Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026
Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 28 Feb. 2026
Sand refuses gripping; the one-footed cannot flee over sand, cannot clamp down on sand and retract into their shells, and octopuses know it.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gripping
Adjective
Even in fuzzy definition, the drama was gripping, and the stakes felt real.
—Kristen Geil, Outside, 24 Feb. 2026
The land of sorcerers, dragons and savagery played out across eight gripping series, drawing millions of viewers into the fictional worlds of Westeros, Essos, and beyond.
—Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026
Verb
The 100,000 replacement trees and shrubs planted as part of the project are small, pencil-sized plants, which may or may not survive the drought gripping the area.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 28 Feb. 2026
Sand refuses gripping; the one-footed cannot flee over sand, cannot clamp down on sand and retract into their shells, and octopuses know it.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gripping
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gripping
Adjective
-
The Indigenous Māori people once believed the boulders were gourds that washed ashore from an ancient canoe wreck, but the science behind it is just as interesting as the legend.—
Madeline Bilis,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Senate Minority Leader Cleave Simpson, an Alamosa Republican, said the vaccine bill was interesting enough to warrant consideration.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Melvin Council stood amid a crowd of his Kansas teammates, clenching a black belt in his fist.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Wole faced fixedly forward, both fists clenching the steering wheel.—
David Wright Faladé,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Wilentz, author of the 2010 book Dylan in America, wrote Volume 18‘s detailed, often fascinating 125-page liner notes that provides historical context for the expansive eight-CD set.—
Glenn Peoples,
Billboard,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The likes of Xabi Alonso, Enzo Maresca and Roberto De Zerbi are intriguing new options, but none offer the combination of experience, tactical flexibility and past silverware than Tuchel, a manager who brings solidity in and out of possession.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
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Our guide to the best upcoming sci-fi movies in 2026 features a blockbuster mix of popular franchises, intriguing one-offs, and one of the greatest directors of all time heading back to alien visitation territory.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Eventually, the fighting commenced with a flurry of slapping, pushing, and grasping; sumo can look like brawling or ballet, a display of brute force or a mastery of martial-arts techniques that share their origins with judo and aikido.—
Joshua Hunt,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
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These protagonists were classic show-business aspirants who, having come to Los Angeles to be within grasping distance of their dreams, fell, in the interim, into service work.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The complaint alleges that Gavalas’s psychosis stemmed from engineering choices made by Google to make Gemini more engaging and lifelike.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
4 Mar. 2026
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Speaking via Zoom with his father, Jim, sitting next to him, McKenna is engaging, affable and, frankly, a delight.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The seasonal cake that had Costco fans across the nation clutching their pearls is back.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
4 Mar. 2026
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The mistake was dragging it out for years, stubbornly clutching a depreciating asset while better offers came and went.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The face enchanting enough to gain entry into this party of the Four Hundred.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
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This enchanting 500-year-old Grade II cottage is set in 12 acres of mature gardens and land – including paddocks, a kitchen garden, and access with frontage on the River Arun (including fishing rights), ideal for kayaking and other water pursuits.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gripping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gripping. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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