phrase
Dominated or affected by something undesirable or adverse.
‘Britain was in the grip of a crime wave’
- ‘Is it any wonder the country is in the grip of so much appeasement, irrationality and ignorance?’
- ‘When she returned New Zealand was in the grip of the Depression of the thirties with high unemployment.’
- ‘Italy has been in the grip of a cold spell for several days, and shortly after the fire began, snow began falling.’
- ‘The area is in the grip of alcohol, illegal drugs and chronic unemployment.’
- ‘As the whole nation is in the grip of a grave crisis of credibility, there is a pressing need to prioritize honesty.’
- ‘The end of the trial, however, has given us an insight into how parts of urban Britain are in the grip of a crimewave the law barely touches.’
- ‘The clinic is already under extreme pressure because Manchester is in the grip of a syphilis and gonorrhoea outbreak.’
- ‘By then, that lovely but vulnerable young woman was in the grip of a depression almost too strong to shake.’
- ‘Bolton is in the grip of a mumps outbreak with more cases diagnosed in the first five months of the year than in the whole of 2004.’
- ‘Hampshire could be in the grip of a drought in just six weeks' time.’