: taking a powerful hold upon one's interest or feelings
a gripping thriller
Shabba Ranks has a gripping baritone voice that ranges from bedroom purr to locker-room-boast roar.—
Mark Coleman
Mark Coleman
grippingly
adverb
a grippingly honest performance
Examples of gripping in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With its terrifyingly topical look into the complicated mind of an autocratic leader, tour de force performances by the two leads, striking cinematography and notable period production design, this is a gripping cinematic experience that should attract international art-house distributors.
—Alissa Simon, Variety, 9 Sep. 2024
The earlier story has the tension of a thriller, maintained at snapping point through the arrest, the occupation of the house by an armed guard and Eunice’s interrogation: a slow squeeze of terror, tightened imperceptibly by Salles over a gripping hour and a half.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2024
This narrative is tailored to provide a gripping, edge-of-your-seat experience that is best enjoyed on the big screen.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 7 Aug. 2024
The duo first worked together on the gripping 1976 thriller Assault on Precinct 13, in which Cyphers portrayed a police officer who is shot dead by a bloodthirsty gang.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 6 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gripping 
Alissa Simon, Variety, 9 Sep. 2024
The earlier story has the tension of a thriller, maintained at snapping point through the arrest, the occupation of the house by an armed guard and Eunice’s interrogation: a slow squeeze of terror, tightened imperceptibly by Salles over a gripping hour and a half.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2024
This narrative is tailored to provide a gripping, edge-of-your-seat experience that is best enjoyed on the big screen.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 7 Aug. 2024
The duo first worked together on the gripping 1976 thriller Assault on Precinct 13, in which Cyphers portrayed a police officer who is shot dead by a bloodthirsty gang.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 6 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gripping
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gripping.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Gripping.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gripping. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
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