groped; groping
1
: to feel about blindly or uncertainly in search
grope for the light switch
2
: to look for something blindly or uncertainly
grope for the right words
3
: to feel one's way
groped along the dark passage
groper
noun
plural gropes
: an act of groping
made a grope for the light switch
And what are these clumsy, embarrassing, fumbling encounters if they are not passes, beery gropes in the dark?—
Nick Hornby
Nick HornbySynonyms
Examples of grope in a Sentence
Verb
I groped for the light switch.
She groped around in her purse, looking for her comb.
We groped along the dark passage.
She claims that her boss tried to grope her.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 27 Oct. 2024
Former model Stacey Williams says Donald Trump groped her after being introduced to him by Jeffrey Epstein in 1993.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024
Janelle Griffith, NBC News, 11 Sep. 2024
He was arrested in December 2017 on similar charges when former members went to police after seeing Stair grope a 12-year-old in front of his congregation on YouTube.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grope 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
Jessica Leeds accused Trump in October 2016 of groping her on a plane in the 1970s and recounted her allegations in testimony for Carroll's civil case.
—Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 27 Oct. 2024
Former model Stacey Williams says Donald Trump groped her after being introduced to him by Jeffrey Epstein in 1993.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024
Noun
On numerous occasions, under the guise of helping a stylist prepare Richard for performances, Combs would also barge into her changing room unannounced and grope parts of her body without her consent, the lawsuit also alleges.
—Janelle Griffith, NBC News, 11 Sep. 2024
He was arrested in December 2017 on similar charges when former members went to police after seeing Stair grope a 12-year-old in front of his congregation on YouTube.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grope
Dictionary Entries Near grope
Cite this Entry
“Grope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grope. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
grope
verb
groped; groping
1
: to seek by or as if by feeling around uncertainly
groped for the light switch
grope for the right word
2
: to feel one's way by groping
grope along a wall
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share