as in complaining
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1
as in screaming
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
he grumbled about how sore his feet were after standing all day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grumbling
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2026
When his teams didn’t entertain, Moe became the show, this cursing, grumbling, rumpled 6-foot-5 firebrand who dressed like a ’70s private detective, a disheveled anti-hero who detested suits.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile Isom is also facing grumbling over his leadership and the company’s performance from another union, the Allied Pilots Association.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Some ponied up, even while grumbling online.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grumbling
Verb
Strong was furious, grumbling all the way across the court about her defeat.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2026
When his teams didn’t entertain, Moe became the show, this cursing, grumbling, rumpled 6-foot-5 firebrand who dressed like a ’70s private detective, a disheveled anti-hero who detested suits.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile Isom is also facing grumbling over his leadership and the company’s performance from another union, the Allied Pilots Association.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Some ponied up, even while grumbling online.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grumbling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grumbling
Adjective
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An energy vampire has bad body language, the complaining look on their face, the vocal complainer.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Brown voiced his frustrations with the Eagles’ passing offense during the regular season, then engaged in a screaming match with Sirianni during Philadelphia’s first-round playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Dashcam footage recently released by Staffordshire Police shows the teenagers screaming and asking Dawson, 50, to slow the car down.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Small earthquakes had been rumbling since January, and in March, the 5,417-foot-tall subglacial volcano at the southern end of the country concluded 187 years of dormancy with the beginnings of a quiet lava flow.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
13 Apr. 2026
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Then, a loud, rumbling sound echoed through the area as a rockslide occurred.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The death toll includes at least 19 children, 21 non-protesting civilians, and 165 in government or security forces.—
The Hill,
The Hill,
17 Jan. 2026
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Among the dead were 13 children and 14 non-protesting civilians, HRANA said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Zendaya's Rue thrives in her own weird little story, but Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) lacks a personality other than whining, Nate (Elordi) lacks a personality other than anger, and hyper-sexualized Maddie (Alexa Demie) lacks a personality other than blind ambition.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
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Get someone who spends more time trying to master the new model than whining about it.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Suddenly all of those wolves appeared to pile on one wolf, and the growling and yipping carried for miles in the still, cold air.—
Frank Glaser,
Outdoor Life,
1 Apr. 2026
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But the innocent visit turns ugly when Alice keeps growling at a wall.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But a male voice could be heard moaning in the background.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
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One minute later, Pedro Neto was yellow-carded for moaning.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grumbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grumbling. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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