as in fumbles
to search for something blindly or uncertainly
she groped in her purse for her car keys groping for the right answer
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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The Seahawks are a high-turnover team on both sides of the ball, but the 49ers have forced just two takeaways in the season series — both fumbles in the opener.—
Michael Nowels,
Mercury News,
12 Jan. 2026
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The Honda backs up a few feet as the agent fumbles at the door handle.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But, as of Thursday’s close, before the print, Apple stock was up 4% so far this week, and finally looks ready to end its losing streak.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
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Its drawstring hood looks sleek but still keeps the cold out (simply adjust the fit to shield yourself from rain and snow), and its knee-length silhouette offers more coverage than traditional puffer jackets.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The new tracking method may also help answer the big unknown of how much space debris actually reaches the surface of Earth.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
24 Jan. 2026
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Sanitation workers will begin plowing streets and bike lanes once accumulation reaches two inches.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gropes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gropes. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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