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
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
Doncic went up and down the court several times, grimacing in pain.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
After grimacing, Daniels popped up and headed to the bench, where he was greeted by multiple athletic trainers and the team doctor.
—Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2025
Nearby, a large man with a wad of cash was grimacing into a digital roulette machine.
—Adam Iscoe, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
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
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
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
Doncic went up and down the court several times, grimacing in pain.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
After grimacing, Daniels popped up and headed to the bench, where he was greeted by multiple athletic trainers and the team doctor.
—Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2025
Nearby, a large man with a wad of cash was grimacing into a digital roulette machine.
—Adam Iscoe, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grimacing
Verb
-
The men stood frowning at each other and then back at Adi until the one without the gun broke into croaks of laughter.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Smiling can actually lift your mood, while frowning can lower it.—
Valerie Monroe,
Allure,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Then there was that image circulating in the bowels of the internet that showed a man who looked exactly like JD scowling at an unidentifiable brunette woman in a restaurant.—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Grejo sank scowling back into his chair as though stung by Adi’s answer.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
When Ali Ansari was 12, living with his family in a single room at his aunt’s house in Woodland Hills, his immigrant mother told him to stop wasting time staring at his phone and try making money with it.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Shortly thereafter, the two women heard a loud bang and exited the bedroom to find Toth lying on the kitchen floor and staring blankly at the ceiling, the report said.—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Ibeh took a somewhat confused, smirking glance at Miller as the two retreated to their corners.—
Matt Moret,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
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Linda Liddle is an office workhorse who has spent her career trying to get ahead by working late and grinding out quarterly reports through lunch at her desk, only to see the credit stolen by whatever smirking golf buddy has leapfrogged her up the corporate ladder.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Woody Allen was a famous Luddite during his decades-long reign in Hollywood, sneering at modern technology at every opportunity (even refusing digital prints for his movies).—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
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Where is the patriotism in sneering at America’s great achievements?—
Emilie G.C. Thompson,
STAT,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grimacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grimacing. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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