as in interesting
holding the attention or provoking interest
I found the exhibit on the Holocaust intensely gripping and quite moving
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in clenching
to have or keep in one's hands
gripped the handlebars tightly and raced down the hill
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fascinating
to hold the attention of as if by a spell
that true crime story gripped me as much as any whodunit
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3
as in intriguing
to hold the attention of
that movie will grip any true sports car fan
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in grasping
to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms
the baby gripped my fingers and wouldn't let go
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gripping
Anastasia Sanger, Glamour, 22 Dec. 2025
Under, for the vast majority of the past 35 years or so, has barely even been close, let alone a gripping contest.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 21 Dec. 2025
Grace Dean, Space.com, 20 Dec. 2025
One part romance-forward saeguk, one part legal drama, and one part con survival story, The Tale of Lady Ok stays gripping across 16 episodes.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gripping
Adjective
It was beautifully shot, well-acted, and gripping.
—Verb
Cameron tells a fantastically tense sci-fi tale, gripping audiences with the heart-wrenching relationship of Bud and Lindsey, and the romantic tension that builds throughout is a welcome reprieve from the intense water-dwelling extraterrestrials.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for gripping
Adjective
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The Cowboys have mastered the art of entertaining and interesting better than any sports franchise in the world, but there is a redundancy that to the person who spends a lot of their money on it is justifiably checked out.—
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Seeing these guys unapologetically portrayed by an actor whose superpower is the audience is always with him was interesting.—
Verb
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Wole faced fixedly forward, both fists clenching the steering wheel.—
Verb
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Wilentz, author of the 2010 book Dylan in America, wrote Volume 18‘s detailed, often fascinating 125-page liner notes that provides historical context for the expansive eight-CD set.—
Verb
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Our guide to the best upcoming sci-fi movies in 2026 features a blockbuster mix of popular franchises, intriguing one-offs, and one of the greatest directors of all time heading back to alien visitation territory.—
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New York has intriguing young outfielders in Jasson Domínguez and Spencer jones, but Bellinger was the team's second best player in the lineup this season.—
Verb
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But Taylor, who studies how the internet interacts with culture, says the rise of vagueposting coincides with a public discontent with just how grasping social media has become.—
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After signing with the Broncos in 2025, he’s just been focused on grasping a newfound status as a captain.—
Adjective
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Their ongoing collaboration makes for an eclectic and engaging body of work.—
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Another way to make snowshoeing even more engaging?—
Verb
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Flagg went down clutching his left knee.—
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After the injury, Jokic could be seen on the floor clutching his knee.—
Verb
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If that wasn't enchanting enough, they were then joined by their original Broadway counterparts, Kristin Chenoweth (Glinda) and Idina Menzel (Elphaba).—
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Even the most incredulous of us listened to him describe the visions of fleeting stars that were enchanting enough to swoon the most beautiful people on this poor Earth.—
Cite this Entry
“Gripping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gripping. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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