grumble
verb (used without object)
to murmur or mutter in discontent; complain sullenly.
was grumbling
-
past progressiveof grumble.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
There was grumbling on social media that the lack of a physical disc would eliminate any second-hand market for the title.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
In early 2020, Rainville was grumbling to his staff about the surplus of Chinese checkers sets gathering dust in inventory.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 10, 2021
When he did, he was grumbling louder than the bears we feared were nearby.
From Slate ● May 28, 2021
There was grumbling when he sent the museum’s huge trove of costumes to the Met in 2008 under a deal that gave Brooklyn continuing access, and its name on the collection.
From New York Times ● Mar. 10, 2019
Even Gimli, as stout as any dwarf could be, was grumbling as he trudged.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
