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
spent hours grooming the lawn
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
grooming in front of the mirror
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
Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
Wine is used to celebrate some of our most memorable occasions, like the first toast to a bride and groom, communion in some churches, or a romantic dinner for two.
—Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 20 Nov. 2025
Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
Andres was taken in by his mother’s boyfriend, but the boyfriend was not a father figure for Andres or his siblings — and instead groomed them for the drug trade.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for groom
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Noun
The bride and groom texted their 16 guests the dress code, an itinerary and the address to an Airbnb about three hours away.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
Wine is used to celebrate some of our most memorable occasions, like the first toast to a bride and groom, communion in some churches, or a romantic dinner for two.
—Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 20 Nov. 2025
Verb
In a clip posted on November 20 and viewed close to 20,000 times, Tunstall first showed her cockapoo dog, Mabel, who is a mix of a miniature or toy poodle and cocker spaniel, waiting to be groomed.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
Andres was taken in by his mother’s boyfriend, but the boyfriend was not a father figure for Andres or his siblings — and instead groomed them for the drug trade.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for groom
Cite this Entry
“Groom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/groom. Accessed 27 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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