as in smiled
to express an emotion (as amusement) by curving the lips upward
grinned at the kids' fooling around in the pool
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Recent Examples of grinned
Assaidi, who grinned widely as he was led out of an NYPD stationhouse on his way to court for his arraignment, did not have any prior arrests, police said.
—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
As the others grinned and grimaced at their rivals’ responses, Becerra was as stone-faced as Buster Keaton.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
With that, Wedgewood leaned into the microphone and grinned.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2026
Haight, 22, grinned wide as teammates celebrated with him along the boards after his first goal, which came in the ninth game of his rookie campaign.
—Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
In response to the King’s pat on the cheek, Louis grinned at his grandfather.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 6 Apr. 2026
Swift flashed her old mine brilliant cut ring to the camera while Kelce grinned wide.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
Asked about the fake out, Mara grinned.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
Raúl grinned and told us to punch him.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
As the others grinned and grimaced at their rivals’ responses, Becerra was as stone-faced as Buster Keaton.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
With that, Wedgewood leaned into the microphone and grinned.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2026
Haight, 22, grinned wide as teammates celebrated with him along the boards after his first goal, which came in the ninth game of his rookie campaign.
—Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
In response to the King’s pat on the cheek, Louis grinned at his grandfather.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 6 Apr. 2026
Swift flashed her old mine brilliant cut ring to the camera while Kelce grinned wide.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
Asked about the fake out, Mara grinned.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
Raúl grinned and told us to punch him.
—Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grinned
Verb
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The mom-to-be smiled down at her husband in one photo, and was pictured standing by herself outside in a few others.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
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Told that the women would have won if the event were singles matches only and the endurance issue would have mattered a bit more, Waters smiled.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Over the course of the afternoon, guests laughed about, grappled with, and sometimes politely skirted around the same gendered tropes that have existed for centuries, the conversation turning serious in some moments and silly in others.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
22 Apr. 2026
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Parishioners prayed, laughed and shared a meal.—
María Teresa Hernández,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grinned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grinned. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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