Grub Street

American  

noun

1. a street in London, England: formerly inhabited by many impoverished minor writers and literary hacks; now called Milton Street.

2. petty and needy authors, or literary hacks, collectively.

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Grub Street British  

noun

1. a former street in London frequented by literary hacks and needy authors

2. the world or class of literary hacks, etc

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adjective

1. (sometimes not capital) relating to or characteristic of hack literature

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Grub Street

New York produces a biweekly print magazine, as well as digital content published under brands such as the Cut, Grub Street and Vulture.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026

Much of the concern surrounding AI slop is overwrought, as low-quality mass-produced content has consistently accompanied technological innovation throughout history, from the printing press to Grub Street publications in the 1700s.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2025

The cronut officially became a major hit when Hugh Merwin wrote a glowing review of the dessert in New York Magazine's food and restaurant blog, Grub Street.

From Salon ● Nov. 26, 2023

As the food blog Grub Street pointed out in 2019, some fanatics say it’s all about the tomatoes, while others maintain bacon is the VIP.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 31, 2021

The old Grub Street days when he starved or begged are gone.

From My First Book: the experiences of Walter Besant, James Payn, W. Clark Russell, Grant Allen, Hall Caine, George R. Sims, Rudyard Kipling, A. Conan Doyle, M.E. Braddon, F.W. Robinson, H. Rider Haggard, R.M. Ballantyne, I. Zangwill, Morley Roberts, David Christie Murray, Marie Corelli, Jerome K. Jerome, John Strange Winter, Bret Harte, "Q.", Robert Buchanan, Robert Louis Stevenson, with an introduction by Jerome K. Jerome. by Various