grin

noun

plural grins
Synonyms of grinnext
: 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 grinLouise Erdrich
I wanted to wipe the grin off his face [=make him stop smiling.]

Examples of grin in a Sentence

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.
Liu, 28, recalls with an exasperated grin. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 29 May 2026 But the Hollywood adapters couldn’t be blamed for everything that seemed inherently clunky or, by now, dated about the musical’s book, parts of which were bound to leave a contemporary audience grimacing a little between all the grins the score provokes. Chris Willman, Variety, 27 May 2026 Roth was free to charm, wink, and flash that high-wattage grin, while the singers amplified the old Halen harmonies. Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 25 May 2026 Sharks like the frilled shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus), that look less like an animal and more like a fossil that had accidentally wandered into the modern world with its eel-like body and rows of needle-like teeth that sit exposed in a permanent grin. Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for grin

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of grin was in 1565

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Cite this Entry

“Grin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grin. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

grin

verb
grinned; grinning
: to draw back the lips so as to show the teeth especially in laughter
grin noun

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