Grand Guignol

noun

Grand Gui·​gnol ˌgräⁿ-gēn-ˈyȯl 

-ˈyōl

: dramatic entertainment featuring the gruesome or horrible

Grand Guignol adjective

Examples of Grand Guignol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But if some of the address was a game show, much of it was a bloody Grand Guignol theater of horror stories, almost all about immigrants preying on the helpless and the innocent. — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026

The scenic design by Paul Tate dePOO III savors the show’s Grand Guignol flavors while leaving plenty of flexibility for antic comedy. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026

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

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

Rhymes for Grand Guignol

• amphibole
• asystole
• buttonhole
• casserole
• centriole
• decontrol
• glycerol
• metropole
• monopole
• multipole
• omeprazole
• oriole