gropes

verb

present tense third-person singular of grope
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gropes
  1. fumbles
  2. looks
  3. reaches
Verb
  • So the associate who fumbles a membership conversation doesn’t need a lecture.
    — Zaharia-Gabriel Sidere, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • DeLand was driving inside the 20 yard line and Taihj Moore fumbles, recovered by Lake Mary.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of fumbles
Verb
  • Through a telescope, the phase of the planet looks most remarkable early in the month.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Available in Black, Currant, Ash, and Chestnut, the Polo Blaze looks particularly appealing in the latter two earthy shades.
    — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of looks
Verb
  • Larter hopes the invention reaches the technicians who need it most.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • When work reaches the right people with the relevant history, urgency and business context attached, issues get prioritized by business impact and escalation becomes less reliant on informal coordination between departments.
    — Rohan Joshi, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of reaches

Browse Nearby Words

groped
gropes
groping
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Cite this Entry

“Gropes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gropes. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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