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
Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
After taking a fastball on the knee in the fifth game of the series, outfield veteran George Springer returned to the starting lineup on Sunday and was noticeably limping and grimacing during his at-bats.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 31 July 2025
In one image, Scales, who had won a Military Cross for his bravery at the front, wears a crooked grimace that suggests recent anguish.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for grimace
Verb
Wentz was noticeably grimacing throughout the majority of the game.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
After taking a fastball on the knee in the fifth game of the series, outfield veteran George Springer returned to the starting lineup on Sunday and was noticeably limping and grimacing during his at-bats.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
In an alarming sight for an already-banged-up inside linebacker room, Greenlaw pulled up with a grimace after covering J.K. Dobbins on an LB-RB one-on-one pass-coverage drill.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 31 July 2025
In one image, Scales, who had won a Military Cross for his bravery at the front, wears a crooked grimace that suggests recent anguish.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for grimace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grimace
Verb
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Part of me believes that, if Indiana wins, Cignetti should retire after this season and spend the rest of his life on a beach, scowling at resort attendants and being basically unimpeachable forever.—
Will Leitch,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
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Another line of attack likens the show to when bachelorette parties invade gay bars — a practice frequently scowled upon by gay patrons.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Dec. 2025
Noun
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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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Watch Lottie interact with elk in wholesome moment Video footage recorded by Dewey shows Lottie staring towards the camera as an elk approaches and cautiously walks closer to her.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
10 Jan. 2026
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In doing so, the artist grants his subjects newfound interiority, as viewers are invited to convene and gather rather than simply stare.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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There was no wink, there was no smirk.—
Mike Miller,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Nov. 2025
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Fixed with a seemingly permanent half-smile — detractors called it a smirk — Cheney joked about his outsize reputation as a stealthy manipulator.—
Calvin Woodward,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Democrats gathered for a conference hosted by progressives were sneering at Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who was not present, for shutting down popular new faces based on disagreements over specific issues.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
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Still, they’re seldom required to provide more than sneering physicality.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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True and Dream then appeared in the same way, with True expertly flipping her sunglasses onto her face in time to the music, before the trio joined Kardashian to mouth the lyrics.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grimace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grimace. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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