as in fumbles
to search for something blindly or uncertainly
she groped in her purse for her car keys groping for the right answer
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Recent Examples of gropes
In the video, a woman exposes herself and an officer, identified by investigators as Herman, gropes her, police said in a statement last year.
—
Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 15 Aug. 2025
Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gropes
Verb
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If the creditor fumbles the process, then an otherwise valid and collectible debt may be barred.—
Virginia Hammerle,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Mar. 2026
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Sonny feels like a departure; unlike Bernthal’s mercenaries, Sonny fumbles with his gun, has a bleeding heart, and lays his vulnerabilities bare.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In person, Magyar gives every indication of being magnanimous and down-to-earth, smiling easily, thanking everyone profusely, and treating his son with what looks like authentic affection, even when the cameras aren’t rolling.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
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January 20 – February 18 Something clicks today, and suddenly the future looks much brighter.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
Verb
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But by the time Forrest reaches age 10, when dogs become eligible for Loyal’s pill, those defenses will more often misfire and fail to stop not just cancer but also other life-abbreviating ailments.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
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Lamont hasn’t argued publicly against the child tax credit but has shown a preference for relief that reaches more households.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gropes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gropes. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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