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
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"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:
Skeptics may grumble about a bubble, but capital outlay is reckless only if it fails to earn its keep.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Private credit investors may grumble, as some funds prorate redemption requests.
From Barron's ● Mar. 17, 2026
And the frequency with which he repeats his grumble suggests this is a moment he may find hard to forget.
From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026
In a flash, the journalist is gone, leaving Gustav to grumble, “TikTok troll.”
From Salon ● Jan. 13, 2026
Xan raised her eyebrows, and Glerk leaned his face away with a low grumble.
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
“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
You can imagine the first misplaced pass by Spurs, they will blame it on Frank, and those grumbles will only grow as the game goes on.
From BBC ● Jan. 29, 2026
"We're the same as two years ago, but worse," grumbles Hector Sanchez, a 62-year-old waiter.
From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2025
That is the direct consequence of a landslide majority, which can become a giant numerical sponge, soaking up a breadth of grumbles if it needs to.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2024
It makes no sense to cheer from so far away, so instead Fiona grumbles, “Who does she think she is, always wearing those glasses?”
From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen
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
I grumbled and complained while Delilah instantly fell in love.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 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
"They're showing them something that's no longer here," he grumbled.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
A few people grumbled about the very idea of a doctor having anything useful to say about investments, but over time he came to dominate the discussion.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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
Leto’s grumbling Brit-inflected baritone is an unrecognizable concoction of trilled r’s and plummy vowels — and the best performance he’s done in years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026
Everyone is grumbling about what the effect will be on traffic, and that - along with safety concerns - is keeping some people home on both sides of the political divide.
From BBC ● May 1, 2026
The splash caused some grumbling in Santa Marta as some pointed out that France was not announcing new policy but existing pledges under a different title.
From Barron's ● Apr. 30, 2026
It’s not a noise like grumbling or shouting.
From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga
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.
