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

The crowd erupted into thunderous applause that lasted several seconds, and Rudolph grinned ear to ear, drawing a deep breath to compose herself. —Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 2 Nov. 2024

Gareth then grins and begins laughing, as guests also catch the unique entrance on their phones. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024

Noun

In another mugshot posted online by the Cook County Sheriff's Office, Schmidt grins ear to ear. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024

Smile 2 is unleashing its infectious grin on moviegoers across the country with a bloody successful debut. —Shania Russell, EW.com, 20 Oct. 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