grumble
- to murmur or mutter in discontent; complain sullenly.
- to utter low, indistinct sounds; growl.
- to rumble: The thunder grumbled in the west.
- to express or utter with murmuring or complaining.
- an expression of discontent; complaint; unhappy murmur; growl.
- grumbles, a grumbling, discontented mood.
- a rumble.
Origin of grumble
Synonym study
Related Words for grumbling
complaining, dissatisfied, quibbling, sour, moaning, irked, grouchy, irritableExamples from the Web for grumbling
Contemporary Examples of grumbling
Spall plays him brilliantly as a grumbling, grunting beast of a man whose sensitivity and kindness emerges slowly.
Now the grumbling is getting louder—and increasingly it focuses on the president himself.
Liberals have been grumbling for a while about the Obama administration.
Spitzer rolled his eyes at the interruption, grumbling a perfunctory “very funny.”
This came after months of grumbling about disappointing iPhone sales, and reports of a possibly too-small opening in China.
Historical Examples of grumbling
With all his grumbling, he had not contemplated Jenkins being away more than a day or two.
The ChanningsMrs. Henry Wood
They went through the cloisters to the south gate, Ketch grumbling all the way.
The ChanningsMrs. Henry Wood
The artistes gradually began to arrive, grumbling more or less.
My Double LifeSarah Bernhardt
If we have been grumbling in our hearts, it is to God we must confess: who else has to do with the matter?
Salted With FireGeorge MacDonald
So tall Clemence dressed herself again, grumbling the while.
L'AssommoirEmile Zola
grumble
- to utter (complaints) in a nagging or discontented way
- (intr) to make low dull rumbling sounds
- a complaint; grouse
- a low rumbling sound
Word Origin for grumble
Word Origin and History for grumbling
grumble
1580s, from Middle French grommeler "mutter between the teeth" or directly from Middle Dutch grommelen "murmur, mutter, grunt," from grommen "to rumble, growl." Imitative, or perhaps akin to grim. Related: Grumbled; grumbling.
grumble
1620s, from grumble (v.).