grin

¹ American  

[grin] / grɪn /

verb (used without object)

grinned, grinning

1. to smile broadly, especially as an indication of pleasure, amusement, or the like.

   Synonyms:

   crack a smile, smirk, smile, beam

   Antonyms:

   glare, frown

2. to draw back the lips so as to show the teeth, as a snarling dog or a person in pain.

3. to show or be exposed through an opening, crevice, etc.

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verb (used with object)

grinned, grinning

1. to express or produce by grinning.

   The little boy grinned his approval of the gift.

noun

1. a broad smile.

2. the act of producing a broad smile.

3. the act of withdrawing the lips and showing the teeth, as in anger or pain.

grin ² American  

[grin] / grɪn /

noun

1. Chiefly Scot. a snare like a running noose.

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verb (used with object)

grinned, grinning

1. Archaic. to catch in a nooselike snare.

grin British  

/ ɡrɪn /

verb

1. to smile with the lips drawn back revealing the teeth or express (something) by such a smile

   to grin a welcome

2. (intr) to draw back the lips revealing the teeth, as in a snarl or grimace

3. informal to suffer trouble or hardship without complaint

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noun

1. a broad smile

2. a snarl or grimace

Synonym Usage

See laugh.

Other Word Forms

• grinner
  noun
• grinning
  adjective
• grinningly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of grin¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English grinnen, grennen, Old English grennian; cognate with Old High German grennan “to mutter”

Origin of grin²

First recorded before 900; Middle English grin(e), grinne, Old English grin, gryn

Explanation

When you grin, you smile. You're likely to grin when your sister tells you a particularly funny knock-knock joke. There's some disagreement about the difference between a grin and a smile — some define a grin as a broad smile that exposes your teeth, but others consider a grin to be a smile with lips tightly closed. Either way, a grin usually expresses amusement, although it sometimes has a mischievous or sly implication: "No one confessed to letting the rabbit loose in the classroom, but one student's grin gave her away."

Example Sentences

“I’m gonna just let them do what they want to do. But they do love music,” he said with a joyous grin.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

"It was a bit emosh to be fair," she said of her maiden international wicket as Dean shook her head with a grin.

From BBC • May 10, 2026

Would they get the shadows of his wiry grin just right?

From Slate • Apr. 23, 2026

She occasionally turned to grin in the direction of dozens of supporters behind her in the courtroom gallery.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Magic gave him a mischievous grin before bouncing up the mountainside.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el

Related Words

• smirk