ENGLISH
REFERENCE

gripping

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɡɹɪpɪŋ// UK //ɡɹˈɪpɪŋ// grip·ping Archaic
Definition

adj. so exciting or interesting that it holds your attention completely. You use it to describe books, movies, or stories that you cannot stop watching or reading.

adj. holding the attention or interest intensely; fascinating or compelling. Often used to describe narrative media or performances.


SIMPLE

The movie has a gripping plot.

CONTEXTUAL

I stayed up until three in the morning because the novel was so gripping I couldn't put it down.

COMPLEX

The documentary provides a gripping account of the expedition, combining archival footage with modern interviews to maintain a high level of tension throughout its three-hour runtime.

Usage

Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun or predicatively after a linking verb like 'be' or 'find'.

Word family
  • Noungrip
  • Adjectivegripping

© 2026 English Reference