grunge

noun

ˈgrənj 

1

: one that is grungy

2

: rock music incorporating elements of punk rock and heavy metal

also : the untidy fashions typical of fans of grunge

grunger

ˈgrən-jər

noun

Examples of grunge in a Sentence

I'm a fan of grunge.

I cleared the grunge out of the drains.

Recent Examples on the Web

Too challenging to qualify as radio rock, the Los Angeles songwriter’s cloudy, lo-fi grunge is stuffed with ’90s references and opaque secrets. — Hannah Jocelyn, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026

Among the garments expected to go on view are Marc Jacobs’s 1990s grunge collection for Perry Ellis, and the Calvin Klein jeans worn by Brooke Shields in her infamous 1980 ad for the brand. — News Desk, Artforum, 5 Nov. 2026

Set the scene Asheville today is where hipster grunge meets Blue Ridge beauty, where a (post-Helene) revived River Arts District, famed for its galleries and craft breweries, celebrates edgy creativity. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Oct. 2026

In 1997, alternative rock was in a strange place, having already seen the grunge era come and go, and with no clear core to the genre to keep it commercially and culturally competitive with pop and hip-hop as the turn of the century approached. — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from grungy

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for grunge

• lunge
• plunge
• sponge
• expunge
• muskellunge