grudging
Americanadjective
Other Word 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.
It’s a connection, a Gazan journalist said, that Witkoff also made with Hamas leaders, being in the unlucky “club of parents who have lost children,” and, this person said, it won him their grudging respect.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
The strikes have drawn grudging recognition from Russian military analysts.
From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026
My entry into the world of wearable fitness, as with much new technology, was grudging, fitful and ultimately all consuming.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 29, 2026
Sir John Wolfenden, whose 1957 inquiry concluded that sex between men should be decriminalised, was a committed Anglican, and his recommendation was couched in grudging terms.
From BBC ● Dec. 24, 2025
But he paused for half a second, as though Lazlo had earned this single, grudging syllable, and said, grimly, “No.”
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
