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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
The emissions testing requirement still receives many a grumble from those who have to do it. — Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 20 Feb. 2026 But officiating grumbles aside, Hamburg were the story, giving a magnificent performance in spite of the imbalance between the two teams. — Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
The congresswoman, her staffer and I grumbled about how unpredictable the House schedule has been lately. — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 1 July 2026 Some soccer purists grumbled about the World Cup expanding this year from 32 to 48 teams. — Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 29 June 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
  • Meanwhile, turbo noise fills the cabin alongside the odd electric motor whine.
    — Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • That is, until you are subjected to the relentless whine of mosquitoes.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 June 2026
Definition of whine
Verb
  • Rodriguez said in a May phone interview with the Herald that detainees had been complaining when a guard approached him and told him to walk out of the cage where he and other men were housed.
    — Churchill Ndonwie, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2026
  • At the local level, administrators often complain there is little clarity on what is expected of them and, too often, outright conflict.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026
Definition of complain
Verb
  • This could include sniffing around more than usual or barking and growling at odd places like piles of leaves.
    — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 3 July 2026
  • Could the growling creature be responsible for the gouges by Zampanò’s dead body?
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 12 June 2026
Definition of growl
Noun
  • Musselwhite punctuated the music with his harmonica trills and moans while his right knee bounced in time with the rhythms.
    — Kevin McKeough, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2026
  • The room received the work with laughter, snaps, and occasional utterances of that satisfied poetry moan.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
Definition of moan
Verb
  • From the outset of the selloff earlier this year, Jim Cramer was screaming from the rooftops that cyber should never have been lumped into run-of-the-mill enterprise software.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 7 July 2026
  • There were no vendors hawking bootleg royal-wedding merch, no screaming lines of fans, not even that many impromptu sing-alongs (some were solicited by journalists looking for content).
    — Zach Schiffman, Curbed, 6 July 2026
Definition of scream
Verb
  • This ground beef casserole will satisfy all the rumbling stomachs at your table.
    — Sheena Chihak, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
  • The engine rumbles between your legs, the road streams beneath you, the curves beckon you onward.
    — Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026
Definition of rumble
Noun
  • Attorneys for the building’s defendants have denied the allegations in court filings and any liability for the accident, and have filed a third-party complaint against the construction company that employed Rojas.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 9 July 2026
  • The lawsuit aims to become a class action and comes after weeks of fierce criticism and complaints from customers regarding the company’s practices.
    — Lily Wright, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 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 15 Jul. 2026.

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