grope

1 of 2

verb

ˈgrōp 

groped; groping

intransitive verb

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

transitive verb

1

: feel up

claims that her boss tried to grope her

2

: to find (one's way) by groping

groper noun

grope

2 of 2

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

Synonyms

Verb

• feel
• fish
• fumble
• scrabble

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

Verb

The girl was waiting at a bus stop when a man seated next to her on the bench groped her, Lt. Monica Cuellar said. —Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 24 Nov. 2024

The three-person commission has been the subject of recent turmoil after witnesses reported seeing Commissioner Todd Hiett grope a man while Hiett was extremely intoxicated at a conference in June. —USA TODAY, 29 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

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English grāpian; akin to Old English grīpan to seize

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

circa 1513, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing grope

• grope one's way

Kids Definition

grope

verb

ˈgrōp 

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