as in frowning
to distort one's face
playgoers grimaced at the actor's terrible attempt at a French accent
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Recent Examples of grimacing
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
Twenty-three games are too soon to declare anything, but Coleman already has a grimacing reputation to shake.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
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
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
Twenty-three games are too soon to declare anything, but Coleman already has a grimacing reputation to shake.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grimacing
Verb
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Now our favorite scowling friend is getting his own movie, too.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
15 Oct. 2025
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In terms of my entry point to him, just understanding that this wasn’t a monster that was going to be scowling in the shadows and looking for any opportunity to hurt someone.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Behind the glass doors of an unassuming building in Manhattan, staring across a shuttered print shop, a shadowy world stirred, coming alive with the flick of cards, the muted clink of glasses and the quiet hum of a dangerous secret.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
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Sean Monahan, Voronkov and others came up empty on point-blank opportunities that left them staring into the rafters or yelling at the ice in frustration.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The smirking Nabokov is tiresome.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The Poets smirking at us in the garden, their coats blowing open like bat wings.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Sep. 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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But the game has a way of sneering at coronations.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grimacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grimacing. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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