Synonyms

grudgingly

American

[gruhj-ing-lee] / ˈgrʌdʒ ɪŋ li /

adverb

reluctantly or unwillingly; not generously or with a good will.

He tried to evade the work and the responsibility until the very last moment and then grudgingly, finally, exasperatingly did his job.

Etymology

Origin of grudgingly

grudging ( def. ) + -ly

Compare meaning

How does grudgingly compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

grudgingly vs. begrudgingly

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Tanking, as the practice is known, has been a grudgingly accepted reality of the NBA for decades.

From The Wall Street Journal

Over the years, MPs have generally abided by that approach - sometimes grudgingly.

From BBC

“Fine, I’ll help,” he said grudgingly, like he was doing her the favor.

From Literature

Sailors, Christopher knew, share the ship’s biscuits grudgingly; when they do, it means something.

From Literature

His hosts, the writer Robert Penn Warren and his wife, Eleanor, didn’t own a set but grudgingly suggested that he could walk next door.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023