1
2
a
: a person responsible for the feeding, exercising, and stabling of horses
b(1)
archaic
: manservant
(2)
: one of several officers of the English royal household
groomed; grooming; grooms
1
: to clean and maintain the appearance of (an animal)
especially
: to maintain the health and condition of the coat of (a horse, dog, etc.) by brushing, combing, currying, or similar attention
2
: to make neat or attractive
an impeccably groomed person
3
a
: to make (someone) ready for a specific objective : prepare
was being groomed as a presidential candidate
b
: to build a trusting relationship with (a minor) in order to exploit them especially for nonconsensual sexual activity
: to groom oneself
Examples of groom in a Sentence
Verb
The horses are being groomed for the competition.
She spent hours grooming herself.
She always seems to be perfectly groomed and neatly dressed.
He is being groomed to take over the company.
Recent Examples on the Web
Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2023
The bride and groom have the right and responsibility to plan and host their wedding according to their preferences.
—Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 24 Sep. 2023
Photographer Joel Serrato and videographer Peyton Frank captured all of the fun of the weekend for the bride and groom.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 18 Sep. 2023
In Libyan culture, the groom’s father traditionally pays for the wedding.
—Louisa Loveluck, Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2023
The bride and groom and their families wore colorful Nigerian wedding clothes and headpieces sourced from Africa, some of it designed by Anu Oye in Brooklyn.
—Tammy Lagorce, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2023
The reception was actually a gala where the bride and groom partied, friends and family turned up, and joy was present.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 7 Sep. 2023
Uniqlo owner Fast Retailing Co.’s global business head will become chief operating officer, as the retail giant grooms the next generation of leaders who might one day take the reins from founder Tadashi Yanai.
—Kanoko Matsuyama, Bloomberg.com, 28 Aug. 2023
The bride and groom did their own vows in front of their nearly 600 guests and a rabbi.
—Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 6 Sep. 2023
Mark David, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2023
While 70% of the ski area is groomed, the mountain also has more than nine miles of skiable and rideable backcountry and off-piste terrain appealing to all levels.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 23 Sep. 2023
The storefront, last home to Beauty for the Beast, a DIY dog and cat grooming salon, had sat mostly empty since 2019 (the pet launderette’s sign will stay).
—Mrussell, oregonlive, 14 Sep. 2023
And now, glam and grooming artists are facing the reality of the writer strikes in Hollywood.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 8 Sep. 2023
His eyebrows look groomed and his teeth are optic white and very straight, but his face doesn’t register as a rich guy’s.
—Lauren Larson, Men's Health, 7 Sep. 2023
The post also says Redd would often groom his care staff by licking their arms.
—Fox19 Digital Staff, The Enquirer, 5 Sep. 2023
Regular grooming practices such as brushing and a balanced diet play an important role in managing shedding.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 27 Aug. 2023
All three were groomed to be defensive backs, said Maxzell, who played the position at El Camino College and Nevada.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2023
See More
Noun
The exit was timeless and classic, with the bride and groom walking down the church steps and into a white vintage convertible as guests applauded and threw lavender.
—Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2023
The bride and groom have the right and responsibility to plan and host their wedding according to their preferences.
—Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 24 Sep. 2023
Photographer Joel Serrato and videographer Peyton Frank captured all of the fun of the weekend for the bride and groom.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 18 Sep. 2023
In Libyan culture, the groom’s father traditionally pays for the wedding.
—Louisa Loveluck, Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2023
The bride and groom and their families wore colorful Nigerian wedding clothes and headpieces sourced from Africa, some of it designed by Anu Oye in Brooklyn.
—Tammy Lagorce, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2023
The reception was actually a gala where the bride and groom partied, friends and family turned up, and joy was present.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 7 Sep. 2023
Uniqlo owner Fast Retailing Co.’s global business head will become chief operating officer, as the retail giant grooms the next generation of leaders who might one day take the reins from founder Tadashi Yanai.
—Kanoko Matsuyama, Bloomberg.com, 28 Aug. 2023
The bride and groom did their own vows in front of their nearly 600 guests and a rabbi.
—Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 6 Sep. 2023
Verb
Equestrian facilities include an 11-stall horse barn with a tack room, laundry room, and a couple of grooming stalls.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2023
While 70% of the ski area is groomed, the mountain also has more than nine miles of skiable and rideable backcountry and off-piste terrain appealing to all levels.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 23 Sep. 2023
The storefront, last home to Beauty for the Beast, a DIY dog and cat grooming salon, had sat mostly empty since 2019 (the pet launderette’s sign will stay).
—Mrussell, oregonlive, 14 Sep. 2023
And now, glam and grooming artists are facing the reality of the writer strikes in Hollywood.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 8 Sep. 2023
His eyebrows look groomed and his teeth are optic white and very straight, but his face doesn’t register as a rich guy’s.
—Lauren Larson, Men's Health, 7 Sep. 2023
The post also says Redd would often groom his care staff by licking their arms.
—Fox19 Digital Staff, The Enquirer, 5 Sep. 2023
Regular grooming practices such as brushing and a balanced diet play an important role in managing shedding.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 27 Aug. 2023
All three were groomed to be defensive backs, said Maxzell, who played the position at El Camino College and Nevada.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'groom.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near groom
Cite this Entry
“Groom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/groom. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition
1
a
archaic
: a male servant
b
: a person in charge of horses
2
groom
2 of 2 verb1
: to clean and keep up the appearance of (as the coat of a horse or dog)
2
: to make neat, attractive, or acceptable
More from Merriam-Webster on groom
Nglish: Translation of groom for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of groom for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about groom
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