grumble 1 of 2

noun

Definition of grumblenext
as in whine
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment a chorus of moans and grumbles when they found out that the overnight camping trip had been cancelled

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grumble

2 of 2

verb

ˈgrəm-bəl How to pronounce grumble (audio)
1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely he grumbled about how sore his feet were after standing all day

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to growl
to make a low heavy rolling sound heavily loaded trucks grumbling as they passed over the steel bridge

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 grumble
Noun
Nick Loftin then doubled in the third before Caglianone hit his 21st homer of the season to right, smashing a hanging slider for a 410-foot shot that induced grumbles from the stands. — ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 Nick Loftin then doubled in the third before Caglianone smashed his 21st homer to right field, inducing grumbles from the Dodger Stadium stands. — CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
Know More Waters is one of a number of senior members of Congress that fellow Democrats are grumbling about in private for being delinquent on their dues to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 1 Oct. 2026 Hollywood is filled with book-to-screen adaptations that have ignited grumbling and spirited debates. — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grumble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grumble
  1. whine
  2. complain
  3. growl
  4. moan
  5. scream
  6. rumble
  7. complaint
Noun
  • Our Chesapeake Bay Retriever dog saw them too and enthusiastically let out a small whine.
    — Kody Lostroh, Denver Post, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The mystic whine of Christine Ott and Mathieu Gabry’s score carries us into a hidden world of ancient Thai deities living inside the mountain’s caves and tunnels.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of whine
Verb
  • Someone else even complained about the self-clean feature ruining their appliance.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2026
  • By July, morale among immigration officers had dipped below its nadir during the Biden Administration, with agents now complaining of being overextended, inundated with novice recruits, and undermined by inflammatory rhetoric from on high.
    — Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of complain
Verb
  • The knights are not just noblemen but athletes of the sand—flipping, flying, and growling into the arena.
    — Alessandra Schade, Vanity Fair, 28 Oct. 2026
  • This past spring, the singer-guitarist announced that hernia repair surgery left him with a six-and-a-half–inch scar and doctors’ orders never to growl again.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of growl
Noun
  • This time, the pair claimed to have heard labored breathing coming across the airwaves, and even what resembled the strained moans of a person aboard an orbiting spacecraft.
    — Micah Hanks, Space.com, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Bel’s father took a long look at Conner’s painting, then let out a loud moan and wept.
    — Edwidge Danticat, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of moan
Verb
  • Upon arriving at Bottiglierivega's door, a police sergeant heard screaming and spotted blood nearby.
    — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Officers arrived at the scene and found people screaming as a man was lying in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds.
    — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of scream
Verb
  • The crowd rumbled with excited anticipation waiting for Simmons to enter her celebration at Texas Live!
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Echoes from the excited roar still rumbled through the arena.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of rumble
Noun
  • On Tuesday, Su was charged with murder and assault with a deadly weapon in a Palo Alto courtroom, with the complaint also alleging that Chen personally inflicted great bodily injury during the assault and that the victim was particularly vulnerable.
    — Senior Editor, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The Kennedy complaint goes a step further, citing a recent forensic analysis by the Washington Post that shows the arch would cast shadows over tens of thousands of graves.
    — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of complaint

Browse Nearby Words

gruffness
grumble
grumbled
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Cite this Entry

“Grumble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grumble. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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