gripe

1 of 3

verb

ˈgrīp How to pronounce gripe (audio)
griped; griping
Synonyms of gripe

intransitive verb

1
: to complain with grumbling
Students griped about having too much homework.
2
: to experience pinching and spasmodic pain in the bowels

transitive verb

1
a
: irritate, vex
griped by the new regulations
b
: afflict, distress
2
: to cause pinching and spasmodic pain in the bowels of
3
archaic : seize, grasp
griper noun

gripe

2 of 3

noun (1)

1
: grievance, complaint
Her main gripe was the lack of advancement opportunities.
2
: a pinching spasmodic intestinal pain
—usually plural
3
archaic : clutch, grasp
broadly : control, mastery

griper

3 of 3

noun (2)

grip·​er
ˈgrīpə(r)
plural -s
: one that gripes

Synonyms of gripe

Relevance

Verb

Noun (1)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of gripe in a Sentence

Verb All of the workers were griping about the new regulations. The students griped that they had too much homework. Noun (1) I would rather not listen to gripes about your latest disasters in the dating game.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
There were some hints of that in the layoffs yesterday, with the TV studio group hit particularly hard as agents and producers had been griping that the current setup didn’t make a lot of sense. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026 After the initial buzz wore off, some shoppers started griping about noise levels and the quality of food at some outlets. — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
Chime in with your questions, concerns, gripes, and hopes, and be prepared to have your life changed for the better—or, at the very least, to laugh a lot. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026 Up front, a dependence on 23-year-old Benjamin Sesko has been a long-running gripe among United supporters. — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gripe

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English grīpan; akin to Old High German grīfan to grasp, Lithuanian griebti

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of gripe was before the 12th century

Rhymes for gripe

See All Rhymes for gripe

Browse Nearby Words

grip car
gripe
gripe's egg
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gripe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gripe. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

gripe

1 of 2 verb
ˈgrīp How to pronounce gripe (audio)
griped; griping
1
archaic : to seize firmly : grip
2
a
: afflict, distress
b
: irritate sense 1, vex
laziness gripes our teacher
3
: to cause or experience spasms of pain in the intestines
4
: complain sense 1
griper noun

gripe

2 of 2 noun
1
: grip entry 2 sense 1
2
a
: affliction sense 1
b
: complaint sense 1
3
: a spasm of pain in the intestines

Medical Definition

gripe

1 of 2 verb
ˈgrīp How to pronounce gripe (audio)
griped; griping

transitive verb

: to cause pinching and spasmodic pain in the bowels of

intransitive verb

: to experience gripes

gripe

2 of 2 noun
: a pinching spasmodic intestinal pain
—usually used in plural
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