grudgingly

American

[gruhj-ing-lee] / ˈgrʌdʒ ɪŋ li /

adverb

reluctantly or unwillingly; not generously or with a good will.

He tried to evade the work and the responsibility until the very last moment and then grudgingly, finally, exasperatingly did his job.

Etymology

Origin of grudgingly

grudging ( def. ) + -ly

Compare meaning

How does grudgingly compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

grudgingly vs. begrudgingly

Explanation

If you do something grudgingly, you're not exactly whistling while you work — you're resentful and annoyed and only doing it, probably, because you have to. A grudge is a lingering resentment against someone, something you can't quite forgive. When you behave grudgingly, you're acting as if you're remembering some past slight or insult. If the guy behind the counter in the deli glares at you and hands you your sandwich grudgingly, you might wonder what you did to make him so grouchy and mad at you.

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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.

Tanking, as the practice is known, has been a grudgingly accepted reality of the NBA for decades.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

That could mean the biggest AI stocks won’t be afforded the luxury of patience that investors have grudgingly provided.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

Asked to evaluate the deal moments after the Clippers defeated the Thunder in January 2024, George grudgingly acknowledged that the pendulum had swung toward Oklahoma City.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2025