Fumbled (6)
I believe the answer is:
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">'<span class="explanation-format__original">fumbled</span>' is the definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">('grope' can be a synonym of 'fumble')</span><br/ ><br/ >This is the entire clue.<br/ ></span>
(Other definitions for groped that I've seen before include "Felt about as if in darkness" , "Fumbled" , "Reek" , "Felt uncertainly about as in dark." .)