grizzle
1 Americanverb (used with or without object)
adjective
noun
-
gray or partly gray hair.
-
a gray wig.
verb (used without object)
-
to complain; whimper; whine.
-
to laugh or grin in mockery; sneer.
verb
noun
-
a grey colour
-
grey or partly grey hair
-
a grey wig
verb
-
(esp of a child) to fret; whine
-
to sulk or grumble
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of grizzle1
1350–1400; Middle English grisel < Old French, derivative of gris gray < Germanic; see griseous
Origin of grizzle2
1740–50; origin uncertain; compare Middle High German grisgramen to gnash one's teeth, German Griesgram sourpuss
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
There’s spots of gray grizzle visible on his chin.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2023
Aside from his charismatic grizzle, the role was educational.
From New York Times ● Aug. 22, 2017
With “Hands of Stone,” Robert De Niro officially enters his Burgess Meredith-in-“Rocky” phase, bringing the ringside grizzle and rumpled gravitas by the pound.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2016
Like a middle-aged heartthrob, Koko has a graceful grey grizzle around the mouth now, and Woss says his leading man will not take on any more films.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 9, 2012
“Yes, got a nice beard. It’s turning white fast, beginning to grizzle up.”
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Ms. Atkinson’s lighthearted novel mines delicious humor from this mismatch of grizzled cynicism and national heritage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
But now as a grizzled veteran, and the oldest player on the Carolina Hurricanes’ roster, Staal has almost single-handedly willed his team to the brink of their first championship in two decades.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026
Jacob Elordi, off of an Oscar nomination, is the most obvious ‘Euphoria’ bait, and I hope voters give grizzled veteran Sam Elliott his due for a memorable ‘Landman’ arc.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026
"As a crime viewer, I've had enough of troubled, grizzled detectives in the wilderness battling their demons," he said.
From BBC ● May 19, 2026
The dog raised his head, but when Curley jerked out, the grizzled head sank to the floor again.
From "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck
No matter that the Aberdonian shot a final-day 67 when the rest of the field were moaning and grizzling like bairns about the long grass.
From The Guardian ● Oct. 1, 2012
Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA Call it grumbling, griping, grizzling, grouching – take your pick.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 20, 2012
Urbane, well-built, his face framed with grizzling hair, he is famed for two characteristics-his impeccable courtesy, his freedom from mannerism.
From Time Magazine Archive
‘You is a human bean and you is saying it is grizzling and horrigust for giants to be eating human beans. Right or left?’
From "The BFG" by Roald Dahl
The chorus of grizzling was so loud and long that I was surprised she didn’t relent and go back on her plan.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
