grumbling 1 of 2

present participle of grumble

grumbling

2 of 2

adjective

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 grumbling
Adjective
Hawke returns too, grumbling and growling behind a rubber mask (and, eventually, some grisly prosthetics). Katie Rife, IndieWire, 21 Sep. 2025 By the late ‘90s and early 2000s, anglers started grumbling about too many striped bass. Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 17 Sep. 2025 University administrators should support tough professors and resist the temptation to placate grumbling undergraduates. Editorial, Boston Herald, 9 Sep. 2025 Some coaches at Chiefs practice had already been grumbling about the priorities of their third-round draft pick. Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grumbling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grumbling
Verb
  • Dani has fallen asleep, though only after complaining vociferously about the light.
    David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Lyons said store owners had been complaining about the retail for some time.
    Luke Barr, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Thousands stomped in the bleachers, creating rumbling waves of adoration.
    Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
  • Apple’s promotional video for the iPhone 17 Pro is super loud and rumbling the floor.
    Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Video captured officers screaming at him to drop the knife, followed by several gunshots from police.
    Christina Hall, Freep.com, 23 Oct. 2025
  • His new visions are shattered by an explosion of light and color as, beneath his fist, the green light blazes, the kyber crystal of the Jedi screaming in corruption and cowardice, in fear and loathing—the lies of the Jedi revealed at last.
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Some hissing or growling is normal, but separate them if aggression escalates.
    Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
  • This mobile bar crisscrosses the room’s checkerboard floor with the growling rumble of a subway train.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Common signals include sniffing, circling, squatting, or whining.
    Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025
  • The floor buffers come out, whining like jet engines in the hallways, erasing over a month’s worth of shoe scuffs that made the place look like the dasher boards at the hockey rink.
    Mark Glende, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • There’s something moaning in the background.
    Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
  • The deputies ultimately roll him over before putting on handcuffs as Mull can be heard moaning in pain.
    Nathaniel Percy, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • My husband has been muttering in a loop about tuition, books, food, and transportation to and from home to campus.
    Melissa Willets, Parents, 15 Sep. 2025
  • He was also heard muttering expletives down the stretch, visibly battling the heat and pressure.
    Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Grumbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grumbling. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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