English Reference
Noun

gripe

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈɡɹaɪp/ UK /ɡɹˈaɪp/ gripe UK spelling griped, gripes Engineering Nautical

n.a small, annoying problem or complaint. You use this when you want to sound a bit more serious than just saying 'complaint'.

n.a complaint or grievance, typically one that is minor or trivial in nature.


SIMPLE

The only gripe I have is the slow internet.

CONTEXTUAL

While the car is otherwise reliable, the owner has a few minor gripes about the interior lighting.

COMPLEX

The software update was generally well-received, though users voiced several gripes regarding the new interface's lack of customization options.

As mentioned, perhaps the ­biggest gripe at that stage was that ­Brentford’s lead wasn’t greater.

The Guardian· 30 Aug 2026

From Middle English gripen, from Old English grīpan, from Proto-Germanic grīpaną, from Proto-Indo-European gʰreyb- (“to grab, grasp”). Cognate with West Frisian gripe, Low German griepen, Dutch grijpen, German greifen, Danish gribe, Swedish gripa. See also grip, grope.

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

This entry
Origin ine-pro *gʰreyb-
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated