gripping
Hard to release
Gripping describes something that seizes and holds your attention completely.
A gripping thriller or gripping documentary keeps you engaged from start to finish, unwilling to look away.
The word derives from the physical sense of grip—to hold tightly—and applies that sensation to mental engagement.
Something gripping has you in its clutches, whether it's a novel, a courtroom drama, or a news story you can't stop following.
Completely holding one's attention
- engrossingCompletely holding one's attention
- compellingPowerfully engaging or persuasive
- absorbingHolding attention completely
- unputdownableImpossible to stop reading
page-turner · spellbinding · enthralling · captivating · mesmerizing · immersive · suspenseful · intense
Holding tightly onto
- graspingGreedy for wealth
- claspingHolding something firmly
- clenchingSqueezing tightly shut
- squeezingPressing inward firmly
holding · seizing · grabbing · clinging · tight · firm · secure · tenacious
Stretched or strained state
- cliffhangerSuspenseful unresolved ending
- anticipationState of awaiting something
- thrillerSuspense-driven narrative genre
- mysterySomething unexplained or unknown
intrigue · plot twist · foreboding · dread · uncertainty · ominous · peril · apprehension
riveting
Completely holding one's attention
- engrossingCompletely holding one's attention
- compellingPowerfully engaging or persuasive
- absorbingHolding attention completely
unputdownable · page-turner · spellbinding · enthralling · captivating · mesmerizing · immersive · suspenseful · intense · addictive
clutching
Holding tightly onto
squeezing · holding · seizing · grabbing · clinging · tight · firm · secure · tenacious · iron-fisted
tension
Stretched or strained state
- cliffhangerSuspenseful unresolved ending
- anticipationState of awaiting something
- thrillerSuspense-driven narrative genre
mystery · intrigue · plot twist · foreboding · dread · uncertainty · ominous · peril · apprehension · anxiety
treads
Outer tire surfaces
friction · tread pattern · non-slip · rubber · purchase · foothold · handhold · adhesion · surface · road
pliers
Hinged metal gripping tool
vise · wrench · pincers · tweezers · nippers · jaw · serrated · ratchet · locking · adjustable
- fine motortyping, sewing, knitting, origami, threading
- restrainingconstraining, restricting, limiting, confining, curbing
- warehousingwarehouse, warehouses, fulfillment centers, fulfillment center, distribution centers
- motor controlmuscle control, hand control, coordination, fine motor skills, gross motor skills
- adjectivesbig, urgent, amazing, temporary, bold
- action verbsrun, jump, chase, grab, climb
grippingboring
Failing to engage interest
dull · uninteresting · tedious · monotonous · unexciting
grippingemotionless
Lacking any sentiment
bloodless · bland · anodyne · dispiriting · disheartening
- gripping narrativesStories demanding continued attention