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
Clark immediately started limping and grimaced as she was subbed out. — James Boyd, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026 Garner started the video with a clip of her drinking leftovers from the drink container and seemingly getting a brain freeze, holding her hand to her forehead and grimacing. — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026
Noun
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 And Ahmed, with his fearful eyes and tense grimace, makes for a compellingly sad and isolated figure. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Apr. 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
  • Nobody slouches in a great suit like West, and nobody scowls in a gorgeous coat like Miller.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Suzanne, the sulky, artistic type, scowls and pointedly ignores their noisy energy.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of scowl
Noun
  • The late-night host teasingly drew his face into a frown in order to copy Washington’s facial expression.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Lee indulges that emotional ambiguity, the way the pedal steel can blur the distinction between a frown and a smile.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026
Definition of frown
Verb
  • With the Seminoles staring at the end zone from the 4-yard line, Daniels faked the pitch left, kept the football and charged straight up the middle, steamrolling through Virginia safety Christian Ellis before crashing into the end zone.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The stranger stared at him in mute disappointment, then turned and went out.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of stare
Noun
  • And indeed Verity — directed with straightforward competence and a faint wry smirk by Michael Showalter and adapted by screenwriter Nick Antosca (Apple TV’s Cape Fear series) — is a mild lark for its first hour.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Orion gave a smirk and thumbs up to the camera while Keats made a funny face and stuck his tongue out.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of smirk
Verb
  • Five times in the last two months, the president has sneered at and insulted female reporters.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The reader is not asked to sneer at Ruby for wanting Ellen’s attention.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 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 Oct. 2026.

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