grimace 1 of 2

verb

Definition of grimacenext
as in to scowl
to distort one's face playgoers grimaced at the actor's terrible attempt at a French accent

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grimace

2 of 2

noun

ˈgri-məs How to pronounce grimace (audio)
as in scowl
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval he made a grimace when he tasted the medicine

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of grimace
Verb
In the first quarter, Brunson exited with an apparent leg injury, frequently grimacing and favoring his right knee. — Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2026 And that became mighty inconvenient in the seventh inning, when shortstop Willy Adames swung through a pitch, grimaced with lower back pain and made a tapping-out gesture to the dugout. — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 29 June 2026
Noun
Charlie Lindgren’s grimace was evident behind his mask. — Bailey Johnson, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2026 He was immortalized in a perpetual full-body muscle flex, and bore the grimace of a guy who really, really wants to pick a fight. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for grimace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grimace
  1. scowl
  2. frown
  3. stare
  4. smirk
  5. sneer
  6. mouth
Verb
  • As a 7-year-old, I’d entertain my father’s friends, at their weekly pickup game at a Bronx barn-house gymnasium, by imitating his game face—bottom lip jutting, eyes scowling.
    — Sean Gregory, Time, 14 June 2026
  • Modern tiki tends to take a lighter touch, using more abstract graphics, less imagery of women and scowling gods.
    — Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Definition of scowl
Noun
  • Numbers might be up, but frowns are also up.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026
  • Turning a smile into a frown, or a frown into a smile.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 9 June 2026
Definition of frown
Verb
  • His suns stare curiously from one side of a page spread to another and his stacks of hay worriedly study the horizon, while his one-eyed stools and one-eyed fenceposts pop up like eager cyclopses.
    — Casey Cep, New Yorker, 7 July 2026
  • No foul was assessed in real time, and the red card was awarded only after the official stared at a slow-motion replay.
    — Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026
Definition of stare
Noun
  • There was a point in Patrick Paul’s ascension last season where his smirk, his hearty chuckles irritated, if not frustrated his opponents to the point of anger.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 26 June 2026
  • Michelle replied with a smirk and a nudge.
    — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 25 June 2026
Definition of smirk
Verb
  • Cassie’s OnlyFans adventures, for interest, were depicted with a kind of sneering derision toward the character’s poor judgement and lack of savvy.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 1 June 2026
  • In a recent video interview, Windolf noted that there are plenty of Beatle fans who find Dylan abrasive and overrated, while there are Dylanologists who sneer at the pop songwriting of Lennon and McCartney.
    — Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 1 June 2026
Definition of sneer
Verb
  • Trump has been willing to mouth these words.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026
  • To sterilize empty jars, set them mouth up on the rack in a boiling-water canner.
    — Kelly Brant, Arkansas Online, 12 May 2026
Definition of mouth

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Cite this Entry

“Grimace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grimace. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on grimace

Nglish: Translation of grimace for Spanish Speakers

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