gripping

adjective

grip·​ping ˈgri-piŋ 

: 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

grippingly adverb

a grippingly honest performance

Examples of gripping in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The gripping Summer House midseason trailer teases a tipping point for several season 9 storylines: Did Carl Radke hook up with another woman while still planning to marry Lindsay Hubbard? —Gina Ragusa, EW.com, 26 Mar. 2025

Many have heralded the gripping third episode, which takes place almost entirely in one room in a youth psychiatric facility seven months after Jamie’s arrest, as far and away the best of the bunch. —Shannon Keating, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2025

The film, inspired by the true story of a ruthless Hawaiian crime boss, promises to be a gripping portrayal of organized crime in the island paradise. —Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025

Viaplay Content Distribution offers a remarkable slate of gripping thrillers, acclaimed Nordic Noir series, emotionally resonant dramas, and riveting documentaries. —Deadline, 12 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gripping

• chipping
• clipping
• dipping
• dripping
• flipping
• nipping
• ripping
• shipping
• sipping
• skipping
• slipping
• snipping