gripped

verb

past tense of grip
1
as in clenched
to have or keep in one's hands gripped the handlebars tightly and raced down the hill

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fascinated
to hold the attention of as if by a spell that true crime story gripped me as much as any whodunit

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in interested
to hold the attention of that movie will grip any true sports car fan

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in grasped
to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms the baby gripped my fingers and wouldn't let go

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of gripped Man City was already a big TV draw before America was gripped by Haalandmania, as is evidenced by the club’s April 19 clash with Arsenal. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Under the shadow of a red Force Recon Association hat and tinted glasses, Capers’ eyes wore a hardened look that made no effort to hide the darkness and despair that gripped him at that moment. — Ethan Rocke, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026 Last July, Patterson was found guilty of the murders after a nine-week trial that gripped Australia. — CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 The schedule was difficult, but that four-game stretch to end 2024 in which DJ Lagway gripped the attention of the college football world was inspiring. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026 The conditions could help them, given the pitches will be worn out and tired after the heatwave that has gripped the United Kingdom, but few Pakistani supporters will believe their team can win. — Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026 Most eyewitnesses are no longer alive The story of the drive-by shooting has long gripped the hip-hop community, partly because no one was charged until Davis was indicted in 2023. — Jessica Hill, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026 Extreme heat has now left most of England gripped by drought conditions that are impacting harvests. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026 The trial will bring to a head one of the biggest mysteries in the hip-hop world that gripped the public for decades. — Jessica Hill, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gripped
  1. clenched
  2. fascinated
  3. interested
  4. grasped
  5. clutched
  6. enchanted
  7. intrigued
  8. held
Verb
  • As the recording played, with Davis recounting seeing the ambulance that was carrying the rapper, Shakur’s sister clenched her left hand against her mouth.
    — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Clad in the world champion’s rainbows, Evenepoel clenched both his fists, beamed a toothy grin, and hugged his soigneur.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of clenched
Verb
  • The tension, the uncertainty, the hovering between bravery and cowardice captures some of what fascinated me in Muriel Rukeyser’s novel Savage Coast.
    — Anne E. Fernald, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Garfield remembers being fascinated by the rows of VHS tapes and the possibilities behind their covers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of fascinated
Verb
  • But what really interested us with this movie was trying to understand the humanity and searching for and exploring the love and the loyalty to characters to have a dialogue with an audience and not do it for the sake of ego or shock.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Camerlenghi says Gradara Castle has interested him since his childhood.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2026
Definition of interested
Verb
  • Ashton Daniels, who started his career at Stanford and then appeared in four games at Auburn last season, has quickly grasped the offense, according to every testimonial delivered by teammates and FSU offensive coaches since the spring.
    — Andre C. Fernandez, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026
  • By the Monitor's Editorial Board Five years ago this month, as the last United States forces withdrew from Afghanistan, the Taliban grasped the reins of government and have kept a tight hold on them since.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of grasped
Verb
  • Erblin Ademi clutched the photo of his father holding him as a little boy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Throughout his wanderings, the uxorious Odysseus clings to a little doll figure, intended to represent his wife (like the spinning top clutched by Leonardo DiCaprio in 'Inception'); the real woman is barely more interesting.
    — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 28 July 2026
Definition of clutched
Verb
  • Pop music is enchanted with electric guitar this year between the Charli XCX and Olivia Rodrigo rock albums.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026
  • At first spritz, you’re instantly enchanted and uplifted by sparkling, tart notes of pomelo and yuzu.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of enchanted
Verb
  • Philipps didn't have symptoms of any kind, but the Prenuvo full-body scan had intrigued her.
    — David Oliver, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Brainy and inquisitive, she’s intrigued enough by his demented search to offer to help.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of intrigued
Verb
  • The rapper, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested in September 2024.
    — Daniel S. Levine, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.
    — Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 6 Aug. 2025
Definition of held

Browse Nearby Words

griping
gripped
gripping
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gripped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gripped. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of cogent

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All