Grand Guignol

American  

[grahn gee-nyawl] / grɑ̃ giˈnyɔl /

noun

1. a short drama stressing horror and sensationalism.

2. of, relating to, or resembling such a drama.

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Grand Guignol British  

/ ɡrɑ̃ ɡiɲɔl /

noun

1. 1. a brief sensational play intended to horrify

   2. (modifier) of, relating to, or like plays of this kind

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Etymology

Origin of Grand Guignol

First recorded in 1905–10; after Le Grand Guignol, small theater in Paris where such dramas were performed

Example Sentences

Nevertheless, it’s a Grand Guignol finish to what has previously been an effective, affecting and strictly naturalistic new interpretation of this canonical drama.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

Hers is a Grand Guignol sensibility that any “White Lotus” fan will get — and applaud.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 19, 2024

She delivered the Grand Guignol with a wink that was all the more disturbing for being so eccentrically amusing.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 11, 2022

Easing up on the Grand Guignol allows the crushing final scenes to hit even harder.

From New York Times • May 20, 2021

The object through which the suspense is conveyed to the reader is the telephone, employed with such tragic effect at the Grand Guignol.

From The Advance of English Poetry in the Twentieth Century by Phelps, William Lyon