groping

/ˈɡroʊpɪŋ/
noun
  1. The act of feeling about with the hands, especially in search of something or in darkness.
    • His groping in the dark closet finally found the lost key.
    • After the lights went out, there was a lot of groping around for the flashlight.
    • The blindfolded game involved careful groping to identify objects.
  2. An awkward or hesitant attempt to understand or deal with something.
    • Her groping toward a solution showed how difficult the problem was.
    • The company's groping for a new strategy lasted several months.
    • The government's groping for policy answers frustrated many citizens.
adjective
  1. Characterized by feeling or searching with the hands, especially in an uncertain way.
    • She gave a groping wave of her hand, trying to find the light switch.
    • He made a groping motion in the dark to find the door handle.
    • The groping fingers of the rescue worker searched through the rubble.
  2. Uncertain or hesitant in trying to find or understand something.
    • The student gave a groping answer to the teacher's difficult question.
    • His groping attempts at conversation made everyone uncomfortable.
    • The artist's early work shows a groping effort to find his style.
Synonyms
What does "groping" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean