grimace

[ grim-uhs, gri-meys ]

/ ˈgrɪm əs, grɪˈmeɪs /

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See synonyms for: grimace / grimacing on Thesaurus.com

noun

a facial expression, often ugly or contorted, that indicates disapproval, pain, etc.

verb (used without object), grim·aced, grim·ac·ing.

to make grimaces.

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Origin of grimace

1645–55; <French ≪ Frankish *grima mask (cf. grime, grim) + -azo<Latin -āceus-aceous

OTHER WORDS FROM grimace

grim·ac·er, noungrim·ac·ing·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use grimace in a sentence

Murray lost 6-1 7-6, 6-2 as Kate and William grimaced and groaned in agony with the rest of the nation.
Murray Crashes Out Of Wimbledon As Kate And William Watch|Tom Sykes|July 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But she grimaced at the mention of “death threats,” saying quietly that there have “been some tough times.”
Can ‘the Traitor’ Jesse Benton Unite the GOP?|Sam Youngman|March 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He grimaced as he looked at water bubbling up from below the ground in the center of the street.
Hurricane Sandy Brings Havoc to Alphabet City|Lizzie Crocker|October 30, 2012|DAILY BEAST
At the Iowa State Fair, Obama grimaced at funnel cakes and soft drinks the size of the Grand Canyon.
Stop Indulging, America|Margaret Carlson|October 24, 2009|DAILY BEAST

She groaned, grimaced, and grabbed her left thigh, which had been wrapped, rewrapped, and re-re-wrapped in an Ace bandage.
A Victory for Georgia Mojo|Paul Begala|September 3, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Anderson and Larkins grimaced at him, to remind him that they had told untruths for his sake, and that he must not betray them.
The Daisy Chain|Charlotte Yonge
Ling grimaced, but followed lest his companions think him afraid.
The Devil's Asteroid|Manly Wade Wellman
Inside, her occupants grimaced helplessly as they watched various instruments guide tiny pointers across calibrated faces.
Tight Squeeze|Dean Charles Ing
Some wit said of her that she minaudait dans le vide, grimaced upon the desert air.
Smoke|Turgenev Ivan Sergeevich
He grimaced at the triteness of the words, at the same time realizing that a basic truth lurked there.
Deathworld|Harry Harrison

British Dictionary definitions for grimace

grimace

/ (ɡrɪˈmeɪs) /

noun

an ugly or distorted facial expression, as of wry humour, disgust, etc

verb

(intr) to contort the face

Derived forms of grimace

grimacer, noungrimacingly, adverb

Word Origin for grimace

C17: from French grimace, of Germanic origin; related to Spanish grimazo caricature; see grim

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

grimace

Origin of grimace

OTHER WORDS FROM grimace

Words related to grimace

How to use grimace in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for grimace

Derived forms of grimace

Word Origin for grimace