moue

as in grimace
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval a moue of distaste at the display of bad manners

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of moue In her trademark cat-eye glasses, with her bitter-lemon moue, Hoffman, as Moth, is comedy just standing there; Harada, as Mustardseed, a warmth machine. New York Times, 24 Oct. 2021 Not just any moue, either, but a supermoue—a whole cultural attitude distilled into a single boffff. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moue
Noun
  • Then the judges each made their trademark grimace.
    Laura Vazquez, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
  • And there are photos that 247Sports dug up from past Manning throws, even dating to his high school days, that show the grimace.
    Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Children can quickly detect their parent’s stress by the tone in their voice or the expression on their face, such as a furrowed brow or a scowl.
    Juli Fraga, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Klára tries to keep him away but Berend, a sweaty, sour beast of a man who wears a permanent scowl, insistently shoves his way into the household.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Chris’s kids noticed how his smile melted into a frown.
    Juli Fraga, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
  • The two facial expressions are literally inversions of each other — as the song says, a smile is just a frown turned upside down.
    Big Think, Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Sanders actually pantomimed his answers, moving his mouth with no words coming out and smiling throughout.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Bolding responds as his daughter takes a step back and puts a hand over her mouth.
    Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • To finish, highlighter fills in the highlights , and the lips are worked with a brown liner, then filled in with a gloss or a moisturizing lipstick to achieve a sensual and succulent pout—the perfect finishing touch for this look.
    María Munsuri, Glamour, 21 Sep. 2025
  • Merit Beauty Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil in Biarritz Witherspoon’s pretty pout also stood out to us.
    Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Moue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moue. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

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