as in to scowl
to distort one's face
playgoers grimaced at the actor's terrible attempt at a French accent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 7 Feb. 2026
She could be seen grimacing after making a small error during her performance, landing awkwardly off a spinning double axel.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 7 Feb. 2026
Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
Will, in response, contorts his entire face into a terrible grimace.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grimace
Verb
Jones’s Dragoool suggests a fusion of Oldman, Karloff’s Mummy and the Cryptkeeper, with shades of Klaus Kinski, Willem Dafoe, Heath Ledger and a grimacing carp.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 7 Feb. 2026
She could be seen grimacing after making a small error during her performance, landing awkwardly off a spinning double axel.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 7 Feb. 2026
Noun
With a grimace on his face and look of effort, Valastro held up his fist and tried to stick his middle finger in the air.
—Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
Will, in response, contorts his entire face into a terrible grimace.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grimace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grimace
Verb
-
Those that attended mostly sat and scowled.—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
25 Feb. 2026
-
He was picked up first on meth charges on May 14, 1986, according to news reports and a San Francisco police booking photo, which shows him in a blue hoodie scowling into the camera.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Not a quiver in his lips, yet his frown growing.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
3 Dec. 2025
-
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
-
Balat stared ahead at the defense table.—
Jake Offenhartz,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
But viewers might not have to fill those three minutes staring at Lionel Messi downing a Gatorade.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Reaves couldn’t muster even a smirk – his 3-point attempt to tie the game as time expired on Thursday, and potentially send the Lakers to overtime with the Phoenix Suns, didn’t drop.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Today, a Michigan coach might meet that saying with a smirk.—
Chantel Jennings,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Impossibly cool at 60 years old, Reznor is all swagger, with his soaring, sneering vocals sounding as strong as his first decade recording.—
William Earl,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The universities have sneered at the people who are feeding them.—
Richard K. Vedder,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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 12 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
