Word
grunge
US/ˈɡɹəndʒ/
UK/ɡɹˈʌndʒ/
Definition
n. a style of rock music from the 1990s with a heavy, dirty sound. It also refers to a fashion style that uses messy, loose, or worn-out clothes.
n. a subgenre of alternative rock characterized by distorted guitar sounds and angst-filled lyrics, or the associated fashion aesthetic featuring unkempt, layered clothing.
Examples
“He loves listening to 90s grunge bands.”
“The fashion show featured a modern take on grunge, with models wearing oversized flannel shirts and ripped denim.”
“Emerging from the Pacific Northwest, grunge fundamentally altered the landscape of popular music by rejecting the polished artifice of 1980s hair metal in favor of a raw, authentic sound.”
Examples
simple
“He loves listening to 90s grunge bands.”
contextual
“The fashion show featured a modern take on grunge, with models wearing oversized flannel shirts and ripped denim.”
complex
“Emerging from the Pacific Northwest, grunge fundamentally altered the landscape of popular music by rejecting the polished artifice of 1980s hair metal in favor of a raw, authentic sound.”
Usage
Typically used as an uncountable noun when referring to the music genre or fashion style.
Real-World Examples
“I know if my dogs don’t like it, they will get up and walk out, and my cats don’t like metal, grunge or rap.” Etymology
Back-formation from grungy.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/grunge