grin

1 of 2

verb

ˈgrin How to pronounce grin (audio)
grinned; grinning
Synonyms of grinnext

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 How to pronounce grin (audio)
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 of grin

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Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
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.
Verb
Latino artists, activists and musicians, suspended mid-motion, grin down at passersby. — Marissa J. Lang, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026 Framed photos of the late NHL star, grinning alongside their now-3-year-old daughter, Noa, and son Johnny, 2, circle their living room couch and sit on their kitchen island. — Julie Mazziotta, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
In Los Angeles, for example, there’s a billboard that shows an image of a smiling girl wearing Meta glasses, with her fingers placed to draw attention to the recording light that shines as brightly as her grin. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026 The two ended up walking away laughing, and Luiz’s grin rode right into the next conversation, drill or interaction with anyone on the field. — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grin

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of grin was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing grin

Rhymes for grin

See All Rhymes for grin

Browse Nearby Words

grimy
grin
grin and bear it
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grin. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

grin

verb
ˈgrin How to pronounce grin (audio)
grinned; grinning
: to draw back the lips so as to show the teeth especially in laughter
grin noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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