gripped; gripping
1
: to seize or hold firmly
gripped the door handle
2
: to hold the interest of strongly
a story that grips the reader
gripper
noun
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 [=gain a good understanding of] calculus
… I'm curious to see if preteens have a grip on this fairly sophisticated concept.—
John Hoffman
John Hoffman3
: a part or device for gripping
4
: a part by which something is grasped
especially
: handle
5
: suitcase
6
a
: a stage worker who handles scenery, properties, or lights : stagehand
b
: a technician on a movie or television set who handles and maintains equipment (such as cameras and their dollies and cranes)
Synonyms
Examples of grip in a Sentence
Verb
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.
Noun
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 on the Web
Talia Abbas, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025
Griffiths cried at times, fanning herself and gripping the hand of a friend sitting beside her.
—Hillel Italie, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025
Aditi Shrikant, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2025
Its textured bottom grips the floor, preventing the mat from slipping or sliding, while its sloped edge is designed to reduce users’ risk of tripping over the mat.
—Maggie Horton, People.com, 13 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for grip 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Newness is always in supply, however, and what ends up defining a season is still in many ways nudged to the forefront by editors and buyers who are gripped by styles that speak to the moment.
—Talia Abbas, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025
Griffiths cried at times, fanning herself and gripping the hand of a friend sitting beside her.
—Hillel Italie, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025
Noun
But breaking the grip that your phone has on you isn’t impossible.
—Aditi Shrikant, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2025
Its textured bottom grips the floor, preventing the mat from slipping or sliding, while its sloped edge is designed to reduce users’ risk of tripping over the mat.
—Maggie Horton, People.com, 13 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for grip
Dictionary Entries Near grip
Cite this Entry
“Grip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grip. Accessed 18 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
grip
1 of 2 verb
gripped; gripping
1
: to seize firmly
2
: to hold strongly the interest of
the story grips the reader
grip
2 of 2 noun1
a
: a firm grasp
b
: strength in gripping
c
: a way of clasping the hand by which members of a secret society recognize or greet one another
2
a
: a firm hold giving control
in the grip of winter
3
: a part or device for gripping or by which something is grasped
especially
: handle entry 1 sense 1
4
: suitcase
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