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
Andrew Greif, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2025
But while running in from third to score, Abreu began grimacing and was removed from the game the following inning.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 17 Aug. 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
In the new logo, which the university said was designed in-house, the mascot's grimacing expression is the same, but his fists are down.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2025
But while running in from third to score, Abreu began grimacing and was removed from the game the following inning.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 17 Aug. 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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However, there has been a growing edge to Denver’s current group, personified on the field in the way safety Talanoa Hufanga flies to the ball and in the way Cooper scowls under his eye black.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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Now our favorite scowling friend is getting his own movie, too.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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If only humans kept their expressions to cartoonishly clear frowns and smiles.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
4 Nov. 2025
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How to Watch North Carolina at Syracuse Bill Belichick’s first season as North Carolina head coach is winding to a whimpering close, but an ACC win over Syracuse under the Friday Night Lights would sure turn some frowns upside down at Chapel Hill.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As the boat sails away, the Creature quietly stares into the sunrise with a smile on his face.—
Yasmeen Hamadeh,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
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The video teaser Chrli shared features eerie, horror film–like sound effects and the haunting sound of violins as Charli is pinned down by an elderly hand while staring directly into the camera.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
6 Nov. 2025
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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Still, they’re seldom required to provide more than sneering physicality.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
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This past week Trump sneered at a reporter who asked about the Argentina bailout.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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As in the never-ending parade of ostensibly Christian exorcism movies, religious belief here seems like a superficial excuse for a stock array of supernatural hoodoo — no matter how many times Chalik’s Abuyya pauses the action to mouth some healing doctrine.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grimace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grimace. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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