Definition of grumble verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

grumble

verb

/ˈɡrʌmbl/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they grumble	/ˈɡrʌmbl/ /ˈɡrʌmbl/
he / she / it grumbles	/ˈɡrʌmblz/ /ˈɡrʌmblz/
past simple grumbled	/ˈɡrʌmbld/ /ˈɡrʌmbld/
past participle grumbled	/ˈɡrʌmbld/ /ˈɡrʌmbld/
-ing form grumbling	/ˈɡrʌmblɪŋ/ /ˈɡrʌmblɪŋ/

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[intransitive, transitive] to complain about somebody/something, especially something that is not really very serious
- grumble (at/to somebody) (about/at somebody/something) She's always grumbling to me about how badly she's treated at work.
- + speech ‘I'll just have to do it myself,’ he grumbled.
- grumble that… They kept grumbling that they were cold.
Synonyms complain
complainprotest ▪ object ▪ grumble ▪ moan ▪ whineThese words all mean to say that you are annoyed, unhappy or not satisfied about somebody/something.
complain to say that you are annoyed, unhappy or not satisfied about somebody/something:
I’m going to complain to the manager about this.
protest to say or do something to show that you disagree with something or think it is bad, especially publicly; to give something as a reason for protesting:
Students took to the streets to protest against the decision.
object to say that you disagree with something or think it is bad; to give something as a reason for objecting:
If nobody objects, we’ll postpone the meeting till next week.
He objected that the police had arrested him without sufficient evidence.
grumble (rather informal, disapproving) to complain about somebody/something, especially something that is not really very serious:
They kept grumbling that they were cold.
moan (British English, rather informal, disapproving) to complain about somebody/something in an annoying way:
What are you moaning about now?
whine (rather informal, disapproving) to complain in an annoying, crying voice:
Stop whining!
‘I want to go home,’ whined Toby.
Whine is often used to talk about the way that young children complain.
Patterns
- to complain/protest/grumble/moan/whine about something
- to complain/protest/grumble/moan at something
- to complain/protest/object/grumble/moan/whine to somebody
- to complain/protest/object/grumble/moan/whine that…
Extra Examples
- He was always grumbling at me.
- I can't bear people who grumble about the weather.
- She grumbled at having to carry so many boxes.
- We're all well at the moment, so I can't grumble.
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[intransitive] to make a deep continuous sound synonym rumble
- Thunder grumbled in the distance.

Word Originlate 16th cent.: from obsolete grumme (probably of Germanic origin and related to Dutch grommen) + -le.

See grumble in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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grumble noun

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trait

noun

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