grimace
Americannoun
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
grimacesimple
-
grimacessimple
-
have grimacedperfect
-
has grimacedperfect
-
am grimacingprogressive
-
are grimacingprogressive
-
is grimacingprogressive
-
have been grimacingperfect progressive
-
has been grimacingperfect progressive
Past
-
grimacedsimple
-
had grimacedperfect
-
was grimacingprogressive
-
were grimacingprogressive
-
had been grimacingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of grimace
First recorded in 1645–55; from French, ultimately from Frankish grima (unrecorded) “mask” ( cf. grim, grime) + -azo, from Latin -āceus -aceous
Explanation
The grimace on her face when he asked her to the prom told him her answer was "no" before she said a word. A grimace is a facial expression that usually suggests disgust or pain, but sometimes comic exaggeration. Picture someone wrinkling his nose, squeezing his eyes shut, and twisting his mouth and you'll have a pretty solid mental image of a grimace. It can be a verb, as in "the class grimaced at the teacher's suggestion of a pop quiz." Or it words as a noun. "The class gave a grimace when the teacher suggested a pop quiz." Its forerunner was the 17th century Spanish grimazo, meaning caricature, and grima, meaning fright.
Vocabulary lists containing grimace
The Outsiders
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Hatchet
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"The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs
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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:
When he doesn’t like a lawyer’s answer—or when he disagrees with a comment from one of the court’s liberal justices—he has been known to grimace.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
For Americans who grimace at the thought of “big government,” this distanced Social Security from public assistance or welfare.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 30, 2026
"Some attendees, unable to tolerate the stench, grimace and cover their noses as they approach the flower."
From Salon ● May 27, 2025
Or, for that matter, the jealous, craven Guy rising to the surface, whom Stan nails hilariously with each stewing grimace.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2024
It hurt, but at least I didn’t look like I’d seen a ghost, or, I amended with a grimace, a Cocoon written in my own handwriting.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Wizened and creased, with a hoop the size of a quarter dangling in his left ear, he relies on gestures—shrugs, grimaces, guffaws—to flesh out responses that lean terse.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
He rolls his eyes at the town’s unquestioning belief in ghost stories and grimaces at all the visible evidence of how behind the times the town is.
From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026
Sargassum on the other hand, she grimaces, is something “we will never run out of”.
From BBC ● Nov. 24, 2024
He grimaces, saying, “There’s something about my blondie mustache that doesn’t look good on my face.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2024
Adam nibbled and munched on the pen and his mouth made strained grimaces.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
He had to see his service game through before he could receive treatment and, after holding to love, grimaced through a massage before returning to play.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
The 77-year-old king grimaced in mock embarrassment as Trump turned to look at him, then waved as if to say carry on -- which Trump did.
From Barron's ● Apr. 28, 2026
But that didn’t stop Team USA from trying out a stand-up-and-salute shtick as a collection of America’s finest players grimaced their way through the recent World Baseball Classic.
From Salon ● Mar. 18, 2026
Chatterjee grimaced; Bailey put his hat over his face.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2024
Anya grimaced at the thought of Ivan’s brothers running wild in her house.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
The Lakers were down by nine when Doncic departed, rubbing the back of his left thigh and grimacing in discomfort and clear frustration.
From Barron's ● Feb. 6, 2026
With his eyes closed and his face grimacing, he grappled for a bolt.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 7, 2026
Frank was furious at his team's lack of aggression at Arsenal, visibly grimacing when he pointed out they only won 17 out of 53 duels and second-ball situations.
From BBC ● Nov. 26, 2025
LeBron James, whom we last saw on the court grimacing after a hip flexor strain, didn’t have much burst to the basket or much touch on his shot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 19, 2025
He inspected us, squinting, his yellow upper teeth grimacing in a smile.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
