grumble
verb (used without object)
to murmur or mutter in discontent; complain sullenly.
had grumbled
-
past perfectof grumble.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
Brokers had grumbled for years that the rule was too heavy-handed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
Pegg's denials of wrongdoing were cast into doubt when it emerged that even members of Saunderson's gang had grumbled about their boss spending too much time with her, and away from his "work" and wife.
From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2025
Yeah but no but yeah but she had grumbled.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 4, 2020
And while the vote was unanimous, some members had grumbled the resolution was unnecessary and reflected unnecessary defensiveness.
From Time ● Aug. 25, 2017
In the kitchen, her great-aunt Leonor had grumbled at her cold hands and given her a cup of hot cordial, when there was a knock on the door.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
