Word
grimace
Phoneticsgri·mace, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɡɹɪməs/
UK/ɡɹˈɪmɪs/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a tight, twisted look on your face that shows pain, disgust, or dislike. You make one when something tastes bad or hurts.
n. a distorted facial expression conveying pain, disgust, disapproval, or strained effort. Typically brief and involuntary, though also produced deliberately for comic or social effect.
Examples
“She makes a grimace when she tastes the sour lemon.”
“The boy makes a grimace as the nurse cleans his scraped knee with cold antiseptic.”
“He greeted the news of the extra night shift with a grimace that tried to pass for a smile but betrayed his exhaustion.”
Examples
simple
“She makes a grimace when she tastes the sour lemon.”
contextual
“The boy makes a grimace as the nurse cleans his scraped knee with cold antiseptic.”
complex
“He greeted the news of the extra night shift with a grimace that tried to pass for a smile but betrayed his exhaustion.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “grimace” in context.
Verb
01. grimace deepens
“His grimace deepened as the pain in his ankle got worse.”
noun + verb
02. grimace fades
“His grimace faded quickly once the painkillers started to work.”
noun + verb
03. grimace softens
“Her grimace softened into a relieved smile after the test.”
noun + verb
04. hide grimace
“He could not hide a grimace when he lifted the heavy box.”
verb + noun
05. make grimace
“The child made a grimace after tasting the bitter medicine.”
verb + noun
Adjective
06. comical grimace
“He pulled a comical grimace for the photo booth picture.”
adj + noun
07. exaggerated grimace
“The boy made an exaggerated grimace to make his friends laugh.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. grimace of disgust
“She wore a grimace of disgust at the smell of rotten fish.”
noun + prep + noun
09. grimace of distaste
“He looked at the cold soup with a grimace of distaste.”
noun + prep + noun
10. grimace of pain
“He gave a grimace of pain when he twisted his ankle.”
noun + prep + noun
11. make a wry grimace
“She made a wry grimace when she saw her exam score.”
12. pull a disgusted grimace
“He pulled a disgusted grimace after tasting the burnt toast.”
Real-World Examples
“Reactions vary from sour lemon-sucking grimaces to downright disgust.” “These guys are total dweebs, peppering each other with puerile jokes while doing shots in upscale restaurants as servers grimace and pray for a tip.” “Soon after his record-extending 67th France goal, Mbappé sat on the ground and grimaced as he rubbed the area around his left knee.” “Sébastien Pocognoli grimaced on Friday when recalling his debut as an international player for Belgium.” Etymology
From French grimace, from Middle French grimace, from Old French grimace, grimuche, from grime (“mask”) (with the pejorative suffix -ace, from Latin -āceus), from Frankish grīma, grīmō (“mask”), from Proto-Germanic *grīmô (“mask, helmet”). Cognate with Old English grīma (“mask, visor, helmet, spectre, apparition”). More at grime.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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