as in careful
said, done, or given in an unwilling or doubtful way
Her theories have begun to win grudging acceptance in the scientific community. He has earned the grudging admiration/respect of his rivals.
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Recent Examples of grudging
Hurubie Meko, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2025
Their odd-couple pairing became a magnificent slow burn of hatred into grudging respect into genuine affection, making for a tantalizing will-they-won't-they.
—Tyler Aquilina, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Those revenues supported limited federal spending—on average only about 3% of gross domestic product compared to 23% today—for a few grudging investments in infrastructure.
— Made By History, Time, 16 Apr. 2025
In the decades since, Iran-U.S. relations have see-sawed between enmity and grudging diplomacy, with relations peaking when Tehran made the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers before Trump withdrew from the deal, sparking more tensions in the Mideast that persist today.
—Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grudging
Verb
Federal officials have sometimes responded to adverse decisions with dawdling or grudging compliance.
—Hurubie Meko, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2025
Their odd-couple pairing became a magnificent slow burn of hatred into grudging respect into genuine affection, making for a tantalizing will-they-won't-they.
—Tyler Aquilina, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Those revenues supported limited federal spending—on average only about 3% of gross domestic product compared to 23% today—for a few grudging investments in infrastructure.
— Made By History, Time, 16 Apr. 2025
In the decades since, Iran-U.S. relations have see-sawed between enmity and grudging diplomacy, with relations peaking when Tehran made the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers before Trump withdrew from the deal, sparking more tensions in the Mideast that persist today.
—Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grudging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grudging
Adjective
-
However, realizing these benefits demands careful tool selection, integration, oversight and governance.—
John Arsneault,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
-
The trailer is careful to showcase the film’s scale – fighter planes soar, speedboats roar, trains careen, and cities flash by in a blur – while keeping plot details tantalizingly out of reach.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
25 July 2025
Verb
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What remained unclear is how much of a lasting boost China’s economy could get from the ingenuity of one start-up, or how much confidence the business community could derive from the sudden friendliness of a leader who has a reputation for distrusting and disliking the private sector.—
Li Yuan,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2025
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And if casually disliking January wasn't enough, 13% of Americans reported hating it.—
Greta Cross,
USA TODAY,
1 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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And Villanelle has very begrudging respect for this woman.—
Dan Snierson,
EW.com,
13 Apr. 2020
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Philadelphia needs its rookie quarterback, Carson Wentz, to post 300 passing yards for a third consecutive week, because there is no running the ball against the Ravens, who have the most begrudging ground defense in the league.—
DAVID WHITE,
New York Times,
16 Dec. 2016
Adjective
-
Written in a fresh, economical style, they're informed by her pointed wit and acute moral and psychological perception.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
19 July 2025
-
Be thoughtful, economical and evocative in your sentences.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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This is, in part, correct: Voldemort is extremely covetous of power.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 June 2025
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Image Meet Me at the Crossroads by Megan Giddings The sudden appearance of seven mysterious doors across the world draws attention from religious sects, covetous billionaires and everyday people who speculate over what lies on the other side.—
Laura Thompson,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
Sonic internet plans: A guide Here's a closer look at Sonic internet offerings: Sonic Fusion Fiber 1 Gigabit Sonic's Fusion Fiber 1 GB plan is the slowest plan option, but speeds are still fast enough for high internet usage.—
Kara McGinley,
USA Today,
22 July 2025
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This is a beautiful fish, much more colorful and brighter overall than its close cousin, the bluegill, which anglers love.—
Sheryl De Vore,
Chicago Tribune,
22 July 2025
Verb
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However, the pair were convicted of improperly withholding $94 million of that settlement from 440 plaintiffs.—
Josh Wood,
The Courier-Journal,
23 Dec. 2024
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Only four of the eight Ivy League schools released information about their early admissions this year, as Harvard joined UPenn, Princeton, and Cornell in withholding the majority of their admissions data until the conclusion of this year's admissions season.—
Christopher Rim,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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China was getting rich, and Britain was growing resentful.—
Sam Kelly,
Time,
8 July 2025
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Because actor Bella Brown has been directed to become resentful, the last section of her song is robbed of pathos.—
David Benedict,
Variety,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grudging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grudging. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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