gripping

adjective

grip·​ping ˈgri-piŋ How to pronounce gripping (audio)
Synonyms of grippingnext
: taking a powerful hold upon one's interest or feelings
a gripping thriller
Shabba Ranks has a gripping baritone voice that ranges from bedroom purr to locker-room-boast roar.Mark Coleman
grippingly adverb
a grippingly honest performance

Examples of gripping in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The Doll Factory masterfully transforms the excellent best-selling novel into a gripping and darkly beautiful series. Peter White, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2026 Directed by Debbie Allen, the emotionally gripping play is set in a Pittsburgh boarding house. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 26 Apr. 2026 Most people live lives whose day-to-day features aren’t exactly gripping viewing and whose trajectories are difficult to squeeze into the structures and strictures of serialized television. David Faris, TheWeek, 24 Apr. 2026 From shaping complex, layered roles to creating a world that feels both opulent and unsettling, the panel will unpack the storytelling choices that bring this gripping narrative to life. Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gripping

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gripping was in 1896

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gripping.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gripping. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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