Meaning & use
grope
Last updated
To feel around with the hands, typically because you cannot see or are unsure of what you are touching.
See it in a sentence
She groped along the dark hallway wall, searching for the light switch.
He groped in his bag for his keys without taking his eyes off the road.
A note on using this word
Grope can also describe touching someone sexually without their consent; in that sense it is a serious and offensive act, not a neutral action.
Words with a similar meaning
fumblefeel around
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. verb
To touch another person in a sexual way without their consent.
The security footage showed him groping a passenger on the crowded train.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “grope”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.