as in smiling
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Dissimilar Words
as in laughing
to express an emotion (as amusement) by curving the lips upward
grinned at the kids' fooling around in the pool
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grinning
Gabby Sartori,
USA Today,
25 June 2026
Cusack and Burke were photographed grinning ear-to-ear at the premiere of Cradle Will Rock in 1999.
—
Laura Millar,
PEOPLE,
20 June 2026
In another image, the high school graduate could be seen grinning and throwing up peace signs at the camera, looking just like his mom’s twin.
—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
7 June 2026
Scary Movie 1 star Jon Abrahams returns to menace Cindy, his ex, by grinning at her like a maniac in a psychiatric holding facility.
—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
Bromley was grinning at her strangely.
—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Ball Arena went quiet, and Coghlan turned to look at his teammate, Shea Theodore, who was grinning from ear to ear.
—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Instead, out stepped the face of the mainstreamed hard right, grinning in light blue pants and a sports jacket.
—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
6 May 2026
Naturally, those struggling are crying foul over some of the new car requirements, while those winning are, well, grinning to say the least.
—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
4 May 2026
Verb
One gallery features a towering tree with a grinning Cheshire Cat tucked among vibrant begonias and unusual foliage, while other spaces are filled with whimsical topiary creatures, fountains and playful signage that nudges guests deeper into Wonderland.
—
Gabby Sartori,
USA Today,
25 June 2026
Cusack and Burke were photographed grinning ear-to-ear at the premiere of Cradle Will Rock in 1999.
—
Laura Millar,
PEOPLE,
20 June 2026
In another image, the high school graduate could be seen grinning and throwing up peace signs at the camera, looking just like his mom’s twin.
—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
7 June 2026
Scary Movie 1 star Jon Abrahams returns to menace Cindy, his ex, by grinning at her like a maniac in a psychiatric holding facility.
—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
Bromley was grinning at her strangely.
—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Ball Arena went quiet, and Coghlan turned to look at his teammate, Shea Theodore, who was grinning from ear to ear.
—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Instead, out stepped the face of the mainstreamed hard right, grinning in light blue pants and a sports jacket.
—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
6 May 2026
Naturally, those struggling are crying foul over some of the new car requirements, while those winning are, well, grinning to say the least.
—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grinning
Adjective
-
Women in black hijabs and abayas, many wearing badges depicting Zahra’s smiling face, lined the streets as men prayed over her casket, placed outside the Husseiniya, a Shiite hall.
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As Thomas’ parents, Katina Smith and Bobby Thomas, unveiled their son’s smiling statue in the Broncos’ Ring of Fame Plaza last Sunday, as scores of his former teammates looked on in sadness and joy, Miller was 800 miles away in Dallas, gearing up for a game against the Cowboys.
Verb
-
Cameras later caught Cunningham laughing as Bonner's meltdown escalated, and both players were hit with technical fouls.
-
Gates recalled laughing at his thriftiness—but for the hedge fund mogul, every penny counts.
Cite this Entry
“Grinning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grinning. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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