1
as in complained
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
he grumbled about how sore his feet were after standing all day
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Recent Examples of grumbled
Once the launchpad for Oscar juggernauts from Slumdog Millionaire to La La Land, TIFF has in recent years watched rivals Venice and Telluride siphon away its prestige premieres, while buyers grumbled about thinner slates and softer deal flow.
—
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2025
His son hugged him, and Frazier grumbled with his team about what might have been.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
The novel, published to immediate controversy in India—an obscenity suit was filed over its portrayal of an intercaste romance—offended her Syrian Christian kin, who grumbled about misrepresentation.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
At those, Democrats restless about their party’s direction grumbled at Levin’s answers and urged more action from their leaders; one event was disrupted by protests over Israel’s killing of Palestinians in Gaza.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
The Arizona Republic last week reported that teammates and others in the organization have quietly grumbled about Marte’s habit of requesting off days.
—Doug Haller, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
Some loyalists grumbled for months about skimpy chicken portions.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2025
For decades, Yankees players, for the most part, grumbled but complied.
—Marc Edelman, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
The Bruins fell to non-basketball powers like Nebraska and Rutgers, as well as Maryland and Michigan, all while fifth-year coach Mick Cronin grumbled about Big Ten travel and the absurdity of spending nearly 10 days straight back east.
—Lindsay Schnell, The Athletic, 5 Feb. 2025
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2025
His son hugged him, and Frazier grumbled with his team about what might have been.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
The novel, published to immediate controversy in India—an obscenity suit was filed over its portrayal of an intercaste romance—offended her Syrian Christian kin, who grumbled about misrepresentation.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
At those, Democrats restless about their party’s direction grumbled at Levin’s answers and urged more action from their leaders; one event was disrupted by protests over Israel’s killing of Palestinians in Gaza.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
The Arizona Republic last week reported that teammates and others in the organization have quietly grumbled about Marte’s habit of requesting off days.
—Doug Haller, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
Some loyalists grumbled for months about skimpy chicken portions.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2025
For decades, Yankees players, for the most part, grumbled but complied.
—Marc Edelman, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
The Bruins fell to non-basketball powers like Nebraska and Rutgers, as well as Maryland and Michigan, all while fifth-year coach Mick Cronin grumbled about Big Ten travel and the absurdity of spending nearly 10 days straight back east.
—Lindsay Schnell, The Athletic, 5 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grumbled
Verb
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Rookies fell out with their bosses all the time, who, in turn, complained about the impossibility of getting good help these days.—
Snigdha Poonam,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
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Trump has often complained that Japan doesn’t buy American vehicles, which are often too wide to be practical on narrow Japanese streets.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Across America, Halloween spending is expected to reach record levels this year, including large crowds waiting for their chance to be chased, startled and screamed at.—
Isabel Rosales,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
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Sundae screamed, and the whole motel heard her.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Iowa rumbled down the field in eight plays, capped by a Gronowski 4-yard touchdown run.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
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Lloyd picked off a Patrick Mahomes pass and rumbled the other way for a touchdown that may have been the biggest difference in the contest that had featured multiple game-changing plays.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But the other 3%, often muttered by students prospectively examining transfer applications, is distinct.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
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Although full disclosure, those two words were muttered in the press box Sunday after Nix had thrown two unsightly picks through the first three quarters of the Broncos’ win over Tennessee.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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From the other room, the victim moaned.—
Stephanie Kuzydym,
The Courier-Journal,
15 Aug. 2025
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Yankees fans have moaned and groaned about Aaron Boone’s deployment of Williams in crucial situations this season, and it’s only exacerbated now that every game counts in the postseason race.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grumbled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grumbled. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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