grin

1 of 2

verb

ˈgrin 

grinned; grinning

intransitive verb

: to draw back the lips so as to show the teeth especially in amusement or laughter

broadly : smile

grinning from ear to ear

grinner noun

grinningly

ˈgri-niŋ-lē 

adverb

grin

2 of 2

noun

plural grins

: a facial expression produced by grinning especially in pleasure or amusement

a happy grin

She grew into a nimble young girl of seven winters, a thoughtful girl with shining brown eyes and a wide grin …

—Louise Erdrich

I wanted to wipe the grin off his face [=make him stop smiling.]

Synonyms

Verb

• beam
• smile

Examples of grin in a Sentence

Verb

She continued to tease her brother, grinning wickedly.

grinned at the kids' fooling around in the pool

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

On Wednesday, September 25 — which also happens to be the Last of Us star’s 21st birthday — Ramsey shared a photo on their Instagram Story of themself cuddling a grinning Stella with an arm wrapped around her waist. —Abby Monteil, Them, 26 Sep. 2024

Abrams grinned teasingly at the crowd as the track faded in. —Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2024

Noun

Afterward, Ohtani had calmed considerably, conducting his postgame press conference with a cap on backwards and a relaxed grin. —Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2024

At sixty-three, Levin still has a boyish demeanor, with wiry curls and a gap-toothed grin. —Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English grennen, from Old English grennian; akin to Old High German grennen to snarl

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1565, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing grin

• grin and bear it
• grin from ear to ear
• wear a silly grin/smile on one's face
• wipe the grin off his face

Kids Definition

grin

verb

ˈgrin 

grinned; grinning

: to draw back the lips so as to show the teeth especially in laughter

grin noun