gripping

adjective

grip·​ping ˈgri-piŋ How to pronounce gripping (audio)
: 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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Despite its small size (168 pages, including 20 pages of notes in the back), Our Malady is a timely and gripping examination of the state of the healthcare system in the USA as compared to healthcare systems in several European countries. Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025 The single, meanwhile, is ushered in with a gripping bass line and an undercurrent of keyboards until Osbourne makes his grand vocal entrance, all sneers and snarls. Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 23 July 2025 Ford was at the center of one of the second season's most gripping storylines, as his Dr. Paul Rhoades waged a tragic battle against Parkinson's while falling for his own doctor, Julie (Wendie Malick). Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 23 July 2025 For several years, the cat-and-mouse game between Iranian and Israeli intelligence has been not just one of the most gripping events in the news but one of the most compelling spectacles on television. Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Gripping.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gripping. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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