groped; groping
1
: to feel about blindly or uncertainly in search
grope for the light switch
2
: to look for something blindly or uncertainly
grope for the right words
3
: to feel one's way
groped along the dark passage
groper
noun
plural gropes
: an act of groping
made a grope for the light switch
And what are these clumsy, embarrassing, fumbling encounters if they are not passes, beery gropes in the dark?—
Nick Hornby
Nick HornbySynonyms
Examples of grope in a Sentence
Verb
I groped for the light switch.
She groped around in her purse, looking for her comb.
We groped along the dark passage.
She claims that her boss tried to grope her.
Recent Examples on the WebKyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 2 July 2024
The two plaintiffs — women who competed on the reality game show executive produced by Lythgoe — alleged that Lythgoe forcibly groped and kissed them in 2003.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2024
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 May 2024
Her hand gropes around the adjacent night stand to silence her vibrating phone.
—Kim Hew-Low, New York Times, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for grope 
Verb
Former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson later alleged in her 2023 memoir that, shortly before the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot began, Giuliani groped her beneath her skirt while claiming the administration would find a way to stay in power.
—Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 2 July 2024
The two plaintiffs — women who competed on the reality game show executive produced by Lythgoe — alleged that Lythgoe forcibly groped and kissed them in 2003.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2024
Noun
Late in the film, there are a couple of showpiece sequences that leave dialogue aside: a sinewy dance performed by Elisabeth, and an expressionistic group body grope.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 May 2024
Her hand gropes around the adjacent night stand to silence her vibrating phone.
—Kim Hew-Low, New York Times, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for grope
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grope.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near grope
Cite this Entry
“Grope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grope. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
grope
verb
groped; groping
1
: to seek by or as if by feeling around uncertainly
groped for the light switch
grope for the right word
2
: to feel one's way by groping
grope along a wall
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