groping

[ groh-ping ]

adjective

1. moving or going about clumsily or hesitantly; stumbling.
2. showing or reflecting a desire to understand, especially something that proves puzzling:

   a groping scrutiny; a groping expression.

Other Words From

• groping·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of groping¹

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; grope, -ing ²

Example Sentences

The much-hyped new recruit, playing his first union game since his schooldays, had been on the periphery of the action in the opening stages, but left Ollie Sleightholme groping at air before flipping a pass over the top of Henry Slade for Tom Wright to slide in.

From BBC

"He's groping and trying to kiss me. Luckily, I'd done judo at an all-girls' convent school and fought him off," recalls Wiltshire.

From BBC

Trump almost immediately began groping her “all over my breasts,” she told The Guardian, as well as her waist and buttocks.

From Salon

Lil Rod alleged in his lawsuit that he was “the victim of constant unsolicited and unauthorized groping and touching” by Combs and felt “uncomfortable with Mr. Combs’ advances.”

From Los Angeles Times

But after a while, meaning after the advent of Trump, their humorless, groping sincerity, which I indulged because of course they “meant well,” curdled into flat-out fascist goose-stepping.

From Salon