GRIMACING Synonyms: 29 Similar and Opposite Words

grimacing

verb

present participle of grimace

as in frowning

to distort one's face playgoers grimaced at the actor's terrible attempt at a French accent

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Recent Examples of grimacing Garner started the video with a clip of her drinking leftovers from the drink container and seemingly getting a brain freeze, holding her hand to her forehead and grimacing. — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026 On Monday’s episode of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, a grimacing Stewart was flabbergasted at why, exactly, the president elbowed his way into a spotlight clearly not intended for him. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 21 July 2026 Seigler remained down for several minutes, bleeding from one arm and grimacing in pain as interim manager Chad Tracy and trainers rushed out to check him for a head injury. — Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 9 July 2026 But the Canadian dug in to hold, and Djokovic was still grimacing in pain in between points. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 7 July 2026 Adames departed Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves due to back spasms after striking out to end the seventh inning, noticeably grimacing during the follow-through of his swing. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 3 July 2026 Murdaugh was grimacing and biting his lower lip during the exchange. — Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 On Wallace’s third attempt, David accepts the letter while grimacing. — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 27 June 2026 But there’s also a lot of competitive animosity, puffing out, and out grimacing each other. — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 25 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grimacing

Verb

This focuses readers on the all-black uniforms of the veiled pupils, who—in a long frame at the center of the page—sit between the looming, frowning teacher on the right and Marji on the left, who stands up to explain that her uncle was executed by the Islamic regime.

— Hillary Chute, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026
Woods, 50, is seen frowning in the photo, taken shortly after the legendary golfer was booked into jail on March 27 after his Land Rover rolled over in Jupiter Island, Florida.

— Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026

Definition of frowning

Verb

Finkelstein is also part of another program that will attempt to re-create Hubble and JWST’s famous deep-field images, which revealed millions of previously unseen galaxies by staring at seemingly empty patches of sky.

— Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026
When producer Robert Stigwood initially approached him about staring in the Sgt.

— Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of staring

Verb

Dawson was ejected by smirking plate ump Joe West in a 1991 game for arguing West’s shape-shifting strike zone.

— Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2026
That’s when Way mutters the p-word — under his breath for plausible deniability, but certainly still with the intention of being heard, smirking at the sound of my laughter.

— Selome Hailu, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of smirking

Verb

If traditional noir drew much of its energy from sneering with style at America’s sunny master narratives, those narratives have largely broken down, as has the homogenous mass-media ecosystem that endlessly recirculated them.

— Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026
But the Velvets were sneering at the false dichotomy between those things back in the ’60s.

— Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026

Definition of sneering

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grimaces

grimacing

grime

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“Grimacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grimacing. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of grimacing

verb

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