grimace

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noun

gri·​mace ˈgri-məs How to pronounce grimace (audio) gri-ˈmās How to pronounce grimace (audio)
: a facial expression usually of disgust, disapproval, or pain
a grimace of hate and rage
grimacer noun

grimace

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verb

grimaced; grimacing

intransitive verb

: to distort one's face in an expression usually of pain, disgust, or disapproval
Grimacing slightly, he runs his finger over the back of his heel, where a deep … fissure has opened inside a callus.Chris Ballard
My father shifted his weight and grimaced. The sheet slid off his injured leg, the calf swollen, purple as a plum …Bernard Cooper

Examples of grimace in a Sentence

Noun The patient made a painful grimace as the doctor examined his wound. he made a grimace when he tasted the medicine Verb playgoers grimaced at the actor's terrible attempt at a French accent
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The researchers found that when people fake pain, their mouth-opening action during grimaces is too regular. IEEE Spectrum, 20 Mar. 2014 There’s no need to ask for his further blessings, and having noticed Philip’s many grimaces of disapproval in the background of Eddie’s selfies, Elsbeth and Kaya decide to attend a performance themselves, sitting in his late grandmother’s seats. Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2024
Verb
Towns took a hard fall and landed on his tailbone toward the end of the third quarter, then grimaced in pain a couple possessions later after getting fouled on a drive to the rim. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 18 Nov. 2024 Then River Ryan shook his right hand and grimaced after delivering a slider to Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Michael A. Taylor, cutting his fourth big-league start short. Fabian Ardaya, The Athletic, 10 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for grimace 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, from Middle French, alteration of grimache, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English grīma mask

First Known Use

Noun

1651, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1762, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of grimace was in 1651

Dictionary Entries Near grimace

Cite this Entry

“Grimace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grimace. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

grimace

noun
grim·​ace
ˈgrim-əs,
grim-ˈās
: facial expression usually of disgust, disapproval, or pain
grimace verb

More from Merriam-Webster on grimace

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