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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grudging
Pierre Lebrun,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2026
The grudging answer was usually yes.
—
Jp Mangalindan,
Time,
5 Apr. 2026
The TenderBoyz hop on a Gulfstream to New York to crash Pierpoint’s annual general meeting and announce their nefarious plan, with Whilimena’s grudging assistance.
—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
23 Feb. 2026
In each approach, the result is sometimes barely more than a grudging nod to history — a brick wall, a truncated staircase, one column out of a dozen left uncovered with Sheetrock.
—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grudging
Adjective
Now on the other side of it, Tampa appears to have found grudging inspiration from their bitter rivals in return.
—
Pierre Lebrun,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2026
The grudging answer was usually yes.
—
Jp Mangalindan,
Time,
5 Apr. 2026
The TenderBoyz hop on a Gulfstream to New York to crash Pierpoint’s annual general meeting and announce their nefarious plan, with Whilimena’s grudging assistance.
—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
23 Feb. 2026
In each approach, the result is sometimes barely more than a grudging nod to history — a brick wall, a truncated staircase, one column out of a dozen left uncovered with Sheetrock.
—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grudging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grudging
Adjective
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Determination and careful calculations — hold on, carry the 2 — are a must.
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Graduate students face lower federal limits and the loss of Grad PLUS, requiring careful financial planning.
Verb
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The result is not a simple story of locals disliking tourists.
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China and Russia are often described as caring deeply about sovereignty and disliking regime change for that reason.
Adjective
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And Villanelle has very begrudging respect for this woman.
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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.
Verb
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Margo, a staunch Conservative neighbor of the couple, was disapproving of the pair’s decisions, and Keith’s performance would win her the 1977 BAFTA TV Award for best light entertainment.
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Ahead of the final season, the Game of Thrones cast gathered to read through the series' last episodes, and some actors appeared either distraught or disapproving of how things ended.
Adjective
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Ronaldo is clearly more economical with his running — staying more static between the width of the goalposts — meaning Portugal are less fluid across the front line.
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At these densities, air cooling is often no longer sufficient or economical.
Verb
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The lawsuit states that Kuka has singlehandedly caused irreparable harm to Boca View by refusing to abide by Florida law and the association’s own bylaws in order to further her self-serving agenda.
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While his blunt and disruptive approach can alienate others, the character illustrates that disruptive leaders often accelerate innovation by asking questions and refusing to accept the status quo.
Adjective
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Starring Elordi and Barry Keoghan, Fennell’s dark comedy about class resentment and covetous destruction was sold on the promise of erotic excess.
-
For most players, that amount of storage is realistically enough for all but the most covetous data hoarders.
Verb
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Regardless of the level of material damage, Shiites are deploring the physical and spiritual assaults against their sacred landscape.
Cite this Entry
“Grudging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grudging. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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