grime
Americannoun
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dirt, soot, or other filthy matter, especially adhering to or embedded in a surface.
-
a style of music influenced by rap, ragga, etc., and characterized by lyrics and imagery that reference the dark side of urban life.
verb (used with object)
noun
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dirt, soot, or filth, esp when thickly accumulated or ingrained
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a genre of music originating in the East End of London and combining elements of garage, hip-hop, rap, and jungle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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grimesimple
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grimessimple
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have grimedperfect
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has grimedperfect
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am grimingprogressive
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are grimingprogressive
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is grimingprogressive
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have been grimingperfect progressive
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has been grimingperfect progressive
Past
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grimedsimple
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had grimedperfect
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was grimingprogressive
-
were grimingprogressive
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had been grimingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of grime
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English grim; apparently special use of Old English grīma “mask,” to denote layer of dust; compare dialectal Dutch grijm
Explanation
Grime is gross, greasy, ingrained dirt, like the grime on your neighbor's van that tempts you to write "Clean Me" in it with your finger. You may find grime under your fingernails for days after your auto mechanics class, black oily dirt that requires a lot of scrubbing to remove. It's less common, but you can also use this word as a verb, meaning to make something this dirty: "They're going to grime the kitchen floor if they don't take their boots off!" The Germanic root of grime means "to smear."
Vocabulary lists containing grime
Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 6
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Born Behind Bars
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The Night Diary
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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.
Part of the appeal is aesthetic: There is a hypnotic pleasure for some people in seeing grime pressure-washed away.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026
The Ivors acknowledged Kano as "one of the UK's most influential artists, helping shape the legacy of grime through acclaimed albums including Made in the Manor and Hoodies All Summer."
From BBC • May 21, 2026
Signs of poor cleaning include strong urine odors, dirty floors, and visible grime.
From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026
Cinematographer Guillermo Garza shoots neglected settings like fine art, embracing the grime.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
I wore a threadbare coat that bore grease stains on the arms, and my cheeks were smudged brown with dirt and grime.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
