as in to scowl
to distort one's face
playgoers grimaced at the actor's terrible attempt at a French accent
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in scowl
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval
he made a grimace when he tasted the medicine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grimace
Adam Iscoe, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
For a team picture as a kid, Curtis grimaced and put his shoulder pads over a broken collarbone.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Thomas turned around and squeezed DeChambeau’s leg with anxiety, his face in a nervous grimace.
—Brody Miller, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grimace
Verb
Nearby, a large man with a wad of cash was grimacing into a digital roulette machine.
—Adam Iscoe, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
For a team picture as a kid, Curtis grimaced and put his shoulder pads over a broken collarbone.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
Noun
Will, in response, contorts his entire face into a terrible grimace.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Thomas turned around and squeezed DeChambeau’s leg with anxiety, his face in a nervous grimace.
—Brody Miller, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grimace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grimace
Verb
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Grejo sank scowling back into his chair as though stung by Adi’s answer.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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Their head coach, Curt Cignetti, perpetually scowling beneath his 1950s crew cut, is fuel for countless memes.—
Keith O’Brien,
The Atlantic,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Not a quiver in his lips, yet his frown growing.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
3 Dec. 2025
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My best friend Russell is an acupuncturist, and seemed like the perfect person to place my tape, slapping it on my frown lines, crow’s-feet, and nasolabial folds.—
Lena Dunham,
Vogue,
19 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Social media users have stared deep into that footage, and some have seen their own reflection.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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What's captivating enough about Freescape's van that show goer after show goer can't help but to stop and stare, at least momentarily, is the unique pop-up roof system, a patented design that's being called the first of its kind.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The bus drivers do nothing to enforce the rules, and we seniors are left trudging down the bus aisle while the people in the seats smirk, look at their phones and talk to each other.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
20 Jan. 2026
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In the video, Castela sings these words with a knowing smirk.—
Carolina Abbott Galvão,
The Dial,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Be the person folks used to have so much admiration for, versus someone sneered at when his name is mentioned.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
27 Jan. 2026
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The nation was to be purged of continual sin not indeed all of its own doing—due partly to its inheritance; and yet a sin, a negation that gave the world the right to sneer at the pretensions of this republic.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Or to sometimes instinctively mouth the words to Christmas carols the kids sang to him with tears or confusion in their eyes.—
Scott Maxwell,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Jan. 2026
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The opposition’s mainstream leaders still mouth the catechism that change should come by Venezuelan hands, but more are openly courting external pressure to tilt the balance.—
Robert Muggah,
The Conversation,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grimace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grimace. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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