grumble
Americanverb (used without object)
-
grumbles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
grumbled,
past participle, past
-
grumbling
present participle
-
to murmur or mutter in discontent; complain sullenly.
Tim always found something to grumble about.
-
to utter low, indistinct sounds; growl.
Suddenly I heard my stomach grumble, and realized I hadn't had any lunch.
-
to rumble.
The thunder grumbled in the west.
verb (used with object)
-
grumbles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
grumbled,
past participle, past
-
grumbling
present participle
noun
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grumbles
plural
-
an expression of discontent; complaint; unhappy murmur; growl.
-
grumbles, a grumbling, discontented mood.
-
a rumble.
verb
-
to utter (complaints) in a nagging or discontented way
-
(intr) to make low dull rumbling sounds
noun
-
a complaint; grouse
-
a low rumbling sound
Synonym Usage
See complain.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
grumblesimple
-
grumblessimple
-
have grumbledperfect
-
has grumbledperfect
-
am grumblingprogressive
-
are grumblingprogressive
-
is grumblingprogressive
-
have been grumblingperfect progressive
-
has been grumblingperfect progressive
Past
-
grumbledsimple
-
had grumbledperfect
-
was grumblingprogressive
-
were grumblingprogressive
-
had been grumblingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of grumble
First recorded in 1580–90; perhaps frequentative of Old English grymman “to wail”; compare Dutch grommelen, German grummeln, French grommeler (from Germanic )
Explanation
When you grumble, you complain about something clearly but quietly, in a low mutter. Some people grumble a hundred times a day, about everything from the weather to the traffic to their bad luck at bowling. The verb grumble is a great example of onomatopoeia, a word that sounds just like what it means. When you say "grumble" out loud, you're practically already grumbling about something. The origin of grumble is the Middle French word grommeler, or "mutter through the teeth." Just think about the things in life that make you want to mutter through your teeth and you'll probably start to grumble.
Vocabulary lists containing grumble
Instead of "Said": Words That Sound Like What They Mean
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Curmudgeon, Cantankerous and Churlish: Grouchy Words
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"The Secret Water"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Miners grumble that governments aren’t doing enough to encourage Western industry to make the shift away from Chinese minerals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
Private credit investors may grumble, as some funds prorate redemption requests.
From Barron's ● Mar. 17, 2026
In a flash, the journalist is gone, leaving Gustav to grumble, “TikTok troll.”
From Salon ● Jan. 13, 2026
His grumble was about more than my sartorial choices.
From BBC ● Dec. 8, 2025
“Aunt Gertrude’s coming tonight, remember? She’s a cleaning machine. Mom probably doesn’t want to hear her grumble about how dirty the house is, so she’s cleaning up before her visit.”
From "Mystery Map (The Hardy Boys: Secret Files, #3)" by Franklin W. Dixon
“These people believe that you take the scab off of a wound and take it off again and again until something miraculous happens,” Boritt grumbles to the camera.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 2026
He grumbles that it’s hard to open up to someone who can already “divine your secrets at a glance.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 25, 2025
"We're the same as two years ago, but worse," grumbles Hector Sanchez, a 62-year-old waiter.
From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2025
Plenty tell me the grumbles about his approach to running the party ran well beyond the gripes you can find in any workplace about the bosses.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2025
Rémy grumbles and then guides us through the pockets of people.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
Two decades ago, customers grumbled about U.S. airlines charging for checked bags, which was the start of all the unbundling that followed.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
Rep. Cyrus King of Massachusetts grumbled that Jefferson’s collection included “irreligious and immoral books” and complained that the funds could be spent for “purposes more indispensable than the purchase of a library.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Hockney grumbled constantly about the iron grip of draconian forces in America: in particular the new lack of tolerance for public smoking.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
"It's certainly not gotten any better. It's actually gotten much worse," he grumbled.
From Barron's ● Mar. 19, 2026
“Rock,” she grumbled, leaning on me to shake out her boot.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
But the move risks alienating customers who already may be grumbling about the complex array of ticket options when it comes time to book a flight.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
But private grumbling has given way to tentative public opposition as residents fight to save their homes.
From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026
For all the grumbling and negative news, AI is making strides in the business world. surveys of CIOs and CEOs consistently show that companies plan to spend more on AI this year and next.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
Molina plays Sam Cooper, a retired engineer — that will be important — being brought grumbling to the Boroughs, a posh, city-sized retirement community plopped down in the middle of the Southwestern desert.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026
Mr. Weiss’s voice came from deep in his throat, as low and foreboding as the grumbling of a bear.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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.
