GRIMACE Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

grimace 1 of 2

verb

Definition of grimace

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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grimace

2 of 2

noun

ˈgri-məs

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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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

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 Artur fell to the ground, grimaced in pain and held his hand up to get the referee’s attention. — Latif Love august 2, Kansas City Star, 2 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

Verb

Whether his teams were good or bad, his outspoken and occasionally scowling personality almost always commanded the room.

— Carl Steward, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026
The note was written on Cohn’s personal stationery, imprinted with a scowling caricature of himself.

— Kai Bird, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of scowl

Noun

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
His trademark smirk and knowing stare are now feared by any opponent up against Norway, but don’t be fooled into thinking Haaland isn’t serious about his career.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 11 July 2026

Definition of smirk

Verb

If traditional noir drew much of its energy from sneering with style at America’s sunny master narratives, those narratives have largely broken down, as has the homogenous mass-media ecosystem that endlessly recirculated them.

— Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026
But the Velvets were sneering at the false dichotomy between those things back in the ’60s.

— Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026

Definition of sneer

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“Grimace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grimace. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of grimace

verb

noun

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