grip

verb \ ˈgrip \

Updated on: 30 Nov 2017

Definition of grip

gripped; gripping

transitive verb

1 : to seize or hold firmly

gripped the door handle

2 : to hold the interest of strongly

a story that grips the reader

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gripper

noun

—

grippingly

play \ˈgri-piŋ-lē\ adverb

See grip defined for English-language learners

See grip defined for kids

Examples of grip in a Sentence

The little boy gripped his mother's hand tightly.
I gripped the door handle and pulled as hard as I could.
The story really grips the reader.
The scandal has gripped the nation.

Recent Examples of grip from the Web

Last winter, a cold snap gripped the whole region, including Iran, where Turkey gets some of its gas from.

— anna shiryaevskaya, Bloomberg.com, "A Leviathan Sets Sail to Keep Turkey Warm," 24 Oct. 2017
After a jaunty jingle and a skit about how falling in love will make the listener healthier and leaner, the remaining half-hour is devoted to a worthy, but rather less gripping, profile of a successful South Korean businessman.

— The Economist, "Making wavesThe air around North Korea is getting crowded," 5 Oct. 2017
One of the worst blizzards in Chicago history gripped the city in the winter of 2011, and Spencer was past her due date.

— amy dickinson, chicagotribune.com, "How Illinois bureaucracy robbed parents of a chance to save their children from a deadly disease," 4 Oct. 2017
The boy appears to grip the barrier with his fingers, leaving the impression the entire thing could be toppled with a giggle.

— julie watson, Pacific San Diego Magazine, "Art installation draws audience to border," 11 Sep. 2017
Others griped Redhook stopped making interesting beers and started catering to its parent company, Craft Brew Alliance.

— tan vinh, The Seattle Times, "Redhook may still be corporate, but its new Brewlab isn’t half bad," 6 Sep. 2017
But this time a new panic gripped staffers and executives in the bunker and C-suite, alike.

— sarah ellison, The Hive, "The Nightmare Is Only Beginning at Fox News," 1 May 2017
Last year the nation was gripped by Twisty, the murderous clown on American Horror Story.

— mike sager, Esquire, "The Life of a Clown," 4 June 2015
Even those wealthy Egyptians who welcomed the revolution are now gripped by a sense of foreboding.

— ashraf khalil, Town & Country, "The Ghosts of Cairo," 21 Dec. 2012

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'grip.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of grip

Middle English grippen, from Old English grippan; akin to Old English grīpan

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

grip Synonyms

Synonyms

clench, cling (to), clutch, hold

Related Words

bear, carry; bag, capture, catch, collar, corral, grab, grapple, hook, land, latch (on or onto), nab, nail, seize, snap (up), snare, snatch, take, trap; feel, finger, handle, paw; clasp, embrace, grasp, hug; cradle

Near Antonyms

drop, give, hand, unclasp, unhand; cede, deliver, give up, hand out, hand over, release, relinquish, render, turn over, yield

grip

noun

Definition of grip

1 a : a strong or tenacious grasp

had a good grip on the tennis racket

b : strength in gripping

c : manner or style of gripping

the balanced grip of an expert golfer

2 a : a firm tenacious hold typically giving control, mastery, or understanding

has the country in his grip

b : mental grasp

can't seem to get a grip on calculus

3 : a part or device for gripping

4 : a part by which something is grasped; especially : handle

5 : suitcase

6 : stagehand

The grips quickly changed the scenery.

See grip defined for English-language learners

Examples of grip in a Sentence

His tennis instructor showed him the proper backhand grip.
a golfer with an incorrect grip
He has been doing all he can to maintain his grip on the company's finances.
I need new grips for my golf clubs.

Recent Examples of grip from the Web

While depressing, this knowledge helps us get a better grip on the odds of finding life somewhere beyond our little corner of the universe.

— lacy schley, Discover Magazine, "Trending: TRAPPIST-1, 3-D Printed Glass," 11 Oct. 2017
The Kim dynasty has been willing to repress and starve its people to maintain its grip on power and fund its military program.

— john macwilliams, The Hive, "Does Kim Jong Un Have a Death Wish?," 2 Oct. 2017
Yet a broad default could potentially make things worse, while also testing Maduro’s grip on power.

— anthony faiola, Washington Post, "Maduro calls for restructuring Venezuela’s foreign debt," 2 Nov. 2017
Analysts think the tie-up will further tighten Airbus’s grip.

— The Economist, "Why Airbus’s tie-up with Bombardier is so damaging for Boeing," 19 Oct. 2017
Competition from the world’s technology giants coincides with a new European payments directive, which promises to weaken the financial industry’s grip on client data.

— frances schwartzkopff, Bloomberg.com, "Why Nordic Banks Might Want to Fight Apple Pay," 28 Sep. 2017
Dark beers have a grip on my heart, including Torn Label’s Bloody Christmas.

— sam mellinger, kansascity, "Mellinger Minutes: Andy Reid’s genius, Chiefs on top, Kelce is a knucklehead, and booooo college football," 19 Sep. 2017
Bloomberg performed its own press test, pitting a Juicero machine against a reporter's grip.

— gabrielle bruney, Esquire, "The Story of Juicero, the $700 Juicer, Has Come to a Predictable Close," 2 Sep. 2017
And now, if this new poll is to be believed, Manchin has a stronger grip on his state’s electorate than Trump does.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Joe Manchin Is More Popular Than Trump in West Virginia, Poll Finds," 31 Aug. 2017

Origin and Etymology of grip

see ¹grip

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

grip Synonyms

Synonyms

carryall, carry-on, traveling bag, handbag, holdall [chiefly British], portmanteau, suitcase, wallet

Antonyms

incomprehension, noncomprehension

Related Words

overnight bag (also overnight case), weekend bag (also weekend case), weekender; cosmetic case, traveling case; carpetbag, duffel bag, kit, kit bag; backpack, haversack, knapsack, packsack, rucksack; attaché, attaché case, briefcase, valise; baggage, bags, luggage

Near Antonyms

release, relinquishment

GRIP Defined for English Language Learners

grip

verb

Definition of grip for English Language Learners

: to grab or hold (something) tightly
: to get and hold the interest or attention of (someone)

grip

noun

Definition of grip for English Language Learners

: the act of grabbing or holding something
: a way or style of holding something
: power or control

GRIP Defined for Kids

grip

verb \ ˈgrip \

Definition of grip for Students

gripped; gripping

1 : to grab or hold tightly

2 : to hold the interest of

The story grips the reader.

grip

noun

Definition of grip for Students

1 : a strong grasp

2 : strength in holding : power

the grip of winter

3 : ¹understanding 1

I finally have a grip on division.

4 : self-control

Calm down and get a grip.

5 : ¹handle

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See words that rhyme with grip Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for grip Spanish Central: Translation of grip Nglish: Translation of grip for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of grip for Arabic speakers

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grip

Definition of grip

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Origin and Etymology of grip

grip Synonyms

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