grizzle

noun griz·zle \ ˈgri-zəl \

Definition of grizzle

1 archaic :gray hair

2 a :a roan coat pattern or color

b :a gray or roan animal

Recent Examples of grizzle from the Web

Aside from his charismatic grizzle, the role was educational.

— sopan deb and katie rogers, New York Times, "From ‘The West Wing’ to ‘Veep’: Chiefs of Staff, Imagined and Real," 22 Aug. 2017
Euro-American settlers perceived grizzles as a threat to life and property and killed them in large numbers.

— atlanta travel, ajc, "See Yosemite the kid friendly way," 4 Apr. 2017
Euro-American settlers perceived grizzles as a threat to life and property and killed them in large numbers.

— atlanta travel, ajc, "See Yosemite the kid friendly way," 4 Apr. 2017
Euro-American settlers perceived grizzles as a threat to life and property and killed them in large numbers.

— atlanta travel, ajc, "See Yosemite the kid friendly way," 4 Apr. 2017
Euro-American settlers perceived grizzles as a threat to life and property and killed them in large numbers.

— atlanta travel, ajc, "See Yosemite the kid friendly way," 4 Apr. 2017
Euro-American settlers perceived grizzles as a threat to life and property and killed them in large numbers.

— jessica yadegaran, The Mercury News, "A kid-friendly guide to Yosemite," 22 Feb. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'grizzle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of grizzle

Middle English grisel, adjective, gray, from Anglo-French, from gris, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German grīs gray

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1601

See Words from the same year

grizzle

verb

Definition of grizzle

grizzled; grizzling play \ˈgriz-liŋ, ˈgri-zə-\

transitive verb

:to make grayish

intransitive verb

1 :gripe, grumble

2 :to become grayish

See grizzle defined for English-language learners

Examples of grizzle in a Sentence

He is always grizzling about the weather.
He always grizzles that the weather is bad.

Recent Examples of grizzle from the Web

Hill and Guarantano were among five college quarterbacks who spent their spring breaks in San Diego working with coach George Whitfield, and Hill was the most grizzled of the group.

— andy staples, SI.com, "Kenny Hill reflects on life after Kenny Trill," 17 July 2017
Burned and grizzled Coyle may be, but the man cannot stand a piece of evidence that doesn't fit.

— will nevin, AL.com, "Mars needs Marines -- and a grizzled investigator. And jokes. Talking with the crew of space dramedy 'Redline'," 6 June 2017
As the wily leader of the Japanese forces, grizzled Kurata Yasuaki has more presence than Zhao, who's bland in non-action sequences.

— mark jenkins, star-telegram.com, "‘God of War’ comes alive in battle scenes," 31 May 2017
Kushner and Bannon had been odd-couple allies, one fresh-faced, one grizzled, one politic, the other outrageous, in the last months of the campaign and during the transition.

— tina nguyen, vanityfair.com, "Bannon Reportedly Threatened to Rage-Quit the White House," 6 Apr. 2017
Kushner and Bannon had been odd-couple allies, one fresh-faced, one grizzled, one politic, the other outrageous, in the last months of the campaign and during the transition.

— tina nguyen, The Hive, "Bannon Reportedly Threatened to Rage-Quit the White House," 6 Apr. 2017
The stereotype of the grizzled, potbellied coach with tobacco drooling down his chin?

— tyler kepner, New York Times, "When It’s Baseball Forever," 30 Mar. 2017
Tall, grizzled, and unshaven, the French-Canadian archaeologist looked every bit the old Yukon hand.

— heather pringle, Smithsonian, "What Happens When an Archaeologist Challenges Mainstream Scientific Thinking?," 8 Mar. 2017

First Known Use of grizzle

1740

grizzle Synonyms

Synonyms

beef, bellyache, bitch, bleat, carp, caterwaul, crab, croak, fuss, gripe, complain, grouch, grouse, growl, grumble, grump, holler, inveigh, keen, kick, kvetch, maunder [chiefly British], moan, murmur, mutter, nag, repine, scream, squawk, squeal, wail, whimper, whine, whinge [British], yammer, yawp (or yaup), yowl

Antonyms

crow, delight, rejoice

Related Words

object (to), protest, quarrel (with); cavil, quibble; fret, stew, worry; blubber, cry, sob; bemoan, bewail, deplore, lament

Near Antonyms

accept, bear, countenance, endure, take, tolerate; applaud, cheer, commend

GRIZZLE Defined for English Language Learners

grizzle

verb

Definition of grizzle for English Language Learners

: to make a continuous, quiet, crying sound
: to complain in a weak or annoying way

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Origin and Etymology of grizzle

grizzle

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First Known Use of grizzle

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Antonyms

Related Words

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GRIZZLE Defined for English Language Learners

grizzle

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