Grand Guignol

noun

Grand Gui·​gnol ˌgräⁿ-gēn-ˈyȯl How to pronounce Grand Guignol (audio)
-ˈyōl
: dramatic entertainment featuring the gruesome or horrible
Grand Guignol adjective

Examples of Grand Guignol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
For a Grand Guignol flourish, nothing beats the late-night fleshhacking in Satriale's. Dan Snierson, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Dec. 2025 Every aspect of this film — the sound, surreal cinematography, gladiator-esque production design, even costumes by Dominique Dawson, a Vallejo native — elevates Tipping’s Grand Guignol vision. Randy Myers, Mercury News, 18 Dec. 2025 Crawford’s performance, less showy but much deeper, draws viewers into emotion to the extent that the Grand Guignol script allows. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 18 Nov. 2025 The Grand Guignol gets a Bollywood makeover in Virat Pal’s satirical bloodfest about hapless paparazzi stumbling upon the dark secret behind a beloved Mumbai movie star’s beauty and tireless commitment to her craft. A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025 The film lurches between scenes of lush romantic melodrama and moments of Grand Guignol bloodletting. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2025 Recognizing the attraction people have to scary films, the band hit on the novel idea to translate the morbid thrill of Grand Guignol to rock ‘n roll. Jim Farber, Billboard, 22 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Le Grand Guignol, small theater in Montmartre, Paris, that specialized in such performances

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Grand Guignol was in 1905

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grand Guignol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Grand%20Guignol. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on Grand Guignol

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!