grudging
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of grudging
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English; see grudge, -ing 2
Explanation
If you do something in a grudging manner (or grudgingly), you do it with reluctance. Doing homework, paying taxes, and saying sorry are all commonly done in a grudging manner. "Grudging apology" and "grudging acceptance" are probably the two most common uses of this word, which perhaps says something about our lack of grace as a species. The word derives from the medieval French word groucher, meaning "to murmur or mumble." A related word is grudge, meaning a long-lasting sense of ill will dating to a previous incident.
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Grudging bipartisanship was still possible, as Clinton and Gingrich demonstrated over welfare and criminal justice reform in the mid-1990s.
From BBC • Nov. 2, 2017
Grudging applause: the other bloke’s not playing ball.
From The Guardian • Jul. 16, 2017
Grudging respect may not feel as good as easy familiarity, but it is what Appelbaum prefers.
From New York Times • Aug. 6, 2015
Grudging acceptance Mr Bashir, in a broadcast shown on national television, joined the south's President Salva Kiir on top of an open pick-up truck, waving with his trademark stick to crowds in the packed stadium.
From BBC • Jan. 20, 2010
Grudging service is no service, and money given for ever so religious a purpose, without gladness because of the opportunity of giving, is not, in the deepest sense, given at all.
From Expositions of Holy Scripture Second Kings Chapters VIII to End and Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Esther, Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes by Maclaren, Alexander
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
