Gaming
griefing
What does griefing mean?
Used loosely for any annoying troll behavior that wrecks someone's experience.
"Quit griefing and let me finish the quest in peace."
Origin
From the noun 'grief' meaning to cause distress. Became standard online-gaming slang in the early 2000s with games like Ultima Online and later Minecraft, where 'griefers' destroying builds became infamous.
Frequently asked questions
What does griefing mean in gaming?
It means deliberately ruining other players' experience to annoy them, like destroying their builds or sabotaging your own team.
What is a griefer?
A griefer is someone who plays just to harass and frustrate others rather than to win or have fun normally.
Is griefing against the rules?
In most games yes — it's a reportable offense that can get you banned, especially intentional team sabotage.
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