gruel Definition
- 1a thin liquid food of oatmeal or other meal boiled in milk or water
- 2a thing that lacks substance or significance
Using gruel: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "gruel" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The prisoners were given nothing but gruel to eat.
Example
The movie was a gruel of cliches and predictable plot twists.
Example
The team's performance was a gruel to watch.
gruel Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with gruel
Example
When I was sick, my mother would make me water gruel to help me feel better.
Example
The new policy proposal is a thin gruel that fails to address the real issues.
Example
The boss gave his employees gruel for even the slightest mistake.
Origins of gruel
from Old French 'grue', meaning 'a kind of broth'
Summary: gruel in Brief
'Gruel' [ɡruːl] is a thin liquid food made from oatmeal or other meal boiled in milk or water. It can also refer to something that lacks substance or significance, as in 'The movie was a gruel of cliches and predictable plot twists.' 'Gruel' has phrases like 'water gruel,' which is made by boiling water with flour or oatmeal, and 'give someone gruel,' which means to punish or mistreat someone severely.