grabble
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to feel or search with the hands; grope.
-
to sprawl; scramble.
verb
-
(intr) to scratch or feel about with the hands
-
(intr) to fall to the ground; sprawl
-
(tr) to seize rashly
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of grabble
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.
See Examples For:
You could ache for the cozy city of the past in “The Royal Tenenbaums” or grabble with the schism of everything suddenly feeling different in “Mulholland Drive.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
It’s that we want—and need—the ability to grabble with nuance and ambiguity that are inherent when our bodies and minds fail.
From Slate ● Apr. 9, 2018
"Who gets me, I think, will have to swoop down in an aeroplane, and grabble me all up and fly away with me!"
From Patty's Suitors by Carolyn Wells
Then we jump up and go to him and all of us grabble dirt 'way and sho' 'nough it was a pot lid and it was on a pot.
From Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves South Carolina Narratives, Part 4 by Work Projects Administration
I nebber digs my taters up Wen dey's only right to grabble.
From Negro Folk Rhymes Wise and Otherwise: With a Study by Thomas Washington Talley
“Rebel Yell” starts up from the sound system and, as if on cue, my son lets out a grabbled “a-woooh!”
From Slate ● Jun. 30, 2015
Suddenly, the Fleshlumpeater shot out two enormous hands and grabbled the BFG around the waist.
From "The BFG" by Roald Dahl
With white claws of foam the sea grabbled at the shore.
From A House of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde
"Oh! you see, I grabbled that in the scuffle, and slipped it into my pocket."
From The Kentuckian in New-York, Volume I (of 2) or, The Adventures of Three Southerns by William Alexander Caruthers
Being blind made touch even more of an instrument of knowing something although all grabbled around in darkness.
From Tokyo to Tijuana: Gabriele Departing America by Steven (Steven David Justin) Sills
Other departments in California are grabbling with similar incidents.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2020
And then, as if a signal has gone off that only the childrens can hear, all of their hands are reaching and grabbling and snatching.
From "The Unfinished Angel" by Sharon Creech
‘We will swear to do what he wants, yes, yess,’ said Gollum, still twisting and grabbling at his ankle.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
The speaker slowly rose, grabbling the face of the rock.
From John March, Southerner by George W. Cable
We jumped over the fence, and commenced grabbling for the sweet potatoes.
From "Co. Aytch" Maury Grays, First Tennessee Regiment or, A Side Show of the Big Show by Sam R. Watkins
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
