grunge

noun

ˈgrənj 

1

: one that is grungy

2

: rock music incorporating elements of punk rock and heavy metal

also : the untidy fashions typical of fans of grunge

grunger

ˈgrən-jər

noun

Examples of grunge in a Sentence

I'm a fan of grunge.

I cleared the grunge out of the drains.

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s no end to the constant stream of offshoots, including doomgaze, grunge-gaze, twang-gaze, and surf-gaze. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026

Whimsigoth has deep ties to mid-1990s grunge culture, too, so related searches for identifiers of the era, like Mary Jane shoes and romantic goth looks, are also on the rise. — Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026

Separately, McCready has been steadily working away at a rock opera tribute to his band’s 1990s grunge heyday with his multimedia project Farewell to Seasons. — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 10 Sep. 2026

As the Seattle trio became global stars and the grunge movement made Peak Fashion out of plaid flannel, Nirvana would take the stage for its signature MTV moment. — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from grungy

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for grunge

• lunge
• plunge
• sponge
• expunge
• muskellunge