Synonyms

gripping

American

[grip-ing] / ˈgrɪp ɪŋ /

adjective

holding the attention or interest intensely; fascinating; enthralling.

a gripping play; a gripping book.

Other Word Forms

grippingly adverb
grippingness noun

Etymology

Origin of gripping

First recorded in 1620–30; grip + -ing ²

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.

Go see this master of gripping narratives, fastidious painting technique and extravagant propaganda while you can.

From The Wall Street Journal

It’s a gripping feat, watching Marty barrel through New York City streets, sprinting toward a question with no answer, wondering which direction will take him to the top.

From Salon

It’s a culmination of the themes that the director has discussed across his body of work, conveyed here in the reflective and gripping ordeal of a regular man standing for what he believes in.

From Los Angeles Times

The book jacket features a prominent blurb from Johnson calling the doctor’s treatise: “A gripping tale of corruption and courage that will open eyes and prompt serious questions.”

From Salon

So it is all set up to be a gripping afternoon when these rivals renew hostilities at the Stadium of Light.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023