grapevine

noun

grape·​vine ˈgrāp-ˌvīn How to pronounce grapevine (audio)
Synonyms of grapevinenext
1
: grape sense 2
2
a
: an informal person-to-person means of circulating information or gossip
heard it through the grapevine
b
: a secret source of information

Examples of grapevine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There’s not a grapevine on the property, only horses romping in the pasture that can be seen from both customer settings. — Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 24 Aug. 2026 Starting last year, Beckstoffer pulled out 800 acres of grapevines from Lake County’s volcanic soil and plans to continue its downsizing slowly throughout the rest of this year. — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026 The infested grapevines were shipped from Fresno to Costco warehouses in 24 Northern California counties in April and May, state officials said. — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026 The insect can spread Pierce’s disease, which is fatal to grapevines, from farm to farm. — Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for grapevine

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1736, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of grapevine was circa 1736

Rhymes for grapevine

See All Rhymes for grapevine

Browse Nearby Words

grape tree
grapevine
Grapevine
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grapevine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grapevine. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

grapevine

noun
grape·​vine ˈgrāp-ˌvīn How to pronounce grapevine (audio)
1
: grape sense 2
2
: an unofficial means of spreading information or gossip from person to person

Geographical Definition

Grapevine

geographical name

Grape·​vine ˈgrāp-ˌvīn How to pronounce Grapevine (audio)
city in northern Texas northeast of Fort Worth

More from Merriam-Webster on grapevine

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for grapevine

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about grapevine

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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