English Reference

Word

grip

US/ˈɡɹɪp/

UK/ɡɹˈɪp/

Definitions

01a firm hold

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. a firm, strong hold on something with your hand.

n. a firm manual hold or the manner in which an object is grasped.

“He kept a tight grip on his daughter's hand while they crossed the busy street.”

“The climber maintained a steady grip on the limestone ledge, waiting for his breathing to slow before making the next move.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

02control or understanding

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. control over a situation, or a clear understanding of a difficult subject.

n. intellectual mastery or effective control over a person, group, or situation.

“The new manager quickly got a grip on the company's financial problems.”

“The administration struggled to maintain its grip on the narrative as contradictory reports began to emerge from the border.”

03friction

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Technical

n. the ability of something, like a tyre or shoe, to stay on a surface without sliding.

n. the friction between a body and the surface on which it moves, preventing slippage.

“These new winter tyres have much better grip on icy roads.”

“The racing driver complained that the rear tyres were losing grip during high-speed cornering, forcing a premature pit stop.”

Antonyms

04film crew member

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Theater Technical

n. a person who handles equipment, like cameras and lights, on a film set.

n. a technician responsible for the setup and maintenance of production equipment on a film or television set.

“The key grip made sure the camera track was perfectly level for the long shot.”

“After years working as a grip on independent features, he finally joined the union to work on major studio productions.”

Synonyms

05a lot of something

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Slang · American English · Dialect

n. a large amount of something or a long period of time.

n. a significant quantity or duration; used colloquially in specific regional dialects.

“I haven't seen him in a grip, so I barely recognised him with the beard.”

“She spent a grip of money on those designer shoes, but she claims they were worth every cent.”

Teaching tip

This sense is highly regional to the West Coast of the United States; learners should avoid it in formal or international contexts.

Synonyms

Antonyms

bit

06to hold tightly

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to hold something very tightly.

v. to seize or maintain a firm manual hold upon an object.

“The child gripped his teddy bear as he waited for the doctor.”

“The sailor gripped the railing as the ship pitched violently in the heavy swells.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

07to fascinate

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to hold someone's attention completely because something is very exciting.

v. to compel the total attention or interest of an audience or individual.

“The mystery novel was so exciting that it gripped me from the first page.”

“The witness's testimony gripped the courtroom, leaving the jurors visibly moved by the account of the events.”

Synonyms

fascinateenthrallrivet

Antonyms

08to affect strongly

C1 · Advanced Literary

v. when a strong feeling or a difficult situation has a powerful effect on you.

v. of an emotion or condition: to dominate or affect an individual or group intensely.

“A sudden fear gripped him as he realised he was lost in the woods.”

“Panic gripped the city's residents as news of the impending strike spread through the morning broadcasts.”

Synonyms

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “grip” in context.

Verb

01. loosen your grip

“The government was forced to loosen its grip on the media after the protests.”

verb + possessive + noun

02. lose your grip

“The CEO seemed to be losing his grip on the company's daily operations.”

verb + possessive + noun

03. tighten your grip

“She tightened her grip on the steering wheel as the car began to skid.”

verb + possessive + noun

Adjective

04. firm grip

“You need a firm grip on the handle to ensure the tool doesn't slip.”

adj + noun

05. iron grip

“The dictator maintained an iron grip on the country for over three decades.”

adj + noun

Noun

06. grip on reality

“After weeks of isolation, he felt like he was losing his grip on reality.”

noun + prep + noun

Preposition

07. in the grip of

“The region was in the grip of a severe drought that lasted for months.”

prep + noun + prep

08. within your grip

“Victory was finally within his grip after years of hard training.”

prep + noun

Real-World Examples

“Russia maintained an iron grip on Crimea since seizing it from Ukraine in 2014.”
NPR 13 Aug 2026
“Has security increased, or not?" Despite opinion polls registering a fall in Putin's domestic approval ratings, Russia's president – Muratov believes - retains a tight grip on power.”
BBC News 13 Aug 2026

Etymology

Verb from Middle English grippen, from Old English grippan, from a Proto-Germanic gripjaną (compare Old High German gripfen); compare the related Old English grīpan, whence English gripe. See also grope, and the related Proto-Germanic grīpaną. Noun from Middle English grippe, gripe, an amalgam of Old English gripe (“grasp, hold”) (cognate with German Griff) and Old English gripa (“handful”) (cognate with Swedish grepp).

From Middle English grip, grippe, gryppe (“a ditch, drain”), from Old English grēp (“a furrow, burrow”) and grēpe (“a furrow, ditch, drain”), from Proto-Germanic *grōpiz (“a furrow, groove”). Cognate with Middle Dutch grippe, gruppe (“ditch, drain”), greppe, German Low German Gruppe (“ditch, drain”). Related also to Old English grōp (“a ditch, drain”). More at groop.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

NOUN

grip(C1)

ADJECTIVE

Idioms

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
Frequency
Common
Level
C1 · AdvancedOxford
Updated

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