as in cynic
a person who spoils the pleasure of others
accused the mayor of being a grinch after he cancelled the city's annual holiday parade for budgetary reasons
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of grinch
The nonprofit donated almost $200,000 to the church for the materials a grinch stole.
—
Dawn White, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
To play off the flavor of the candy, the grinch-green dough has a subtle cinnamon flavor of its own.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2025
Tired of looking like the grinch (can't help the hair).
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
The Pompano Beach, Fla. doesn’t play grinch alone; Veeze, Lil Yachty, Rob49, Juvenile, and B.G. also appear on the project.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 27 Dec. 2024
American President Donald Trump doesn’t want to be the grinch that stole Christmas.
—Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Dawn White, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
To play off the flavor of the candy, the grinch-green dough has a subtle cinnamon flavor of its own.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2025
Tired of looking like the grinch (can't help the hair).
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
The Pompano Beach, Fla. doesn’t play grinch alone; Veeze, Lil Yachty, Rob49, Juvenile, and B.G. also appear on the project.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 27 Dec. 2024
American President Donald Trump doesn’t want to be the grinch that stole Christmas.
—Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grinch
Noun
-
Of course, cynics would say this is an easy way to get laughs, but Galifianakis’ quick wit ensures the unfiltered youngsters don’t always take center stage.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The cynics are figures like Sam Bankman-Fried, who built a fortune off of a crypto exchange called FTX, which crashed and burned in the fall of 2022, eventually sending Bankman-Fried to prison for fraud.—
Jack Crosbie,
Rolling Stone,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This year’s acts include new plays and musicals, music, standup and improv comedy, cabaret, Shakespearean swordplay, dance, drag shows and acrobatics.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 May 2026
-
Once a design concept is finalized, designers sculpt models that are passed on to engineers for drag and aerodynamic analysis, said Scott Parrish, a lab manager at GM Research and Development.—
Summer Ballentine,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
In the end, at the risk of sounding like a killjoy, a real way to save the planet and save money is to just buy and produce less.—
Kara McGrath,
Allure,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Which poem, and why did the killjoys at the magazine turn it down?—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Obviously, the chargrilled lobster is mouthwateringly good but ask the chef to fix you an off-menu crab rarebit.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
-
Shrimp tempura, soft shell crab, popcorn shrimp, codfish and tuna sticks lacked labels with date and four-hour discard time.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
May 15,
Sacbee.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Granted, this might simply be an old-fashioned spoilsport way to view the market.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
10 Jan. 2026
-
No one likes a spoilsport, apparently.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
However, the Lakers are complainers to begin with and have always gotten a favorable whistle.—
David Troy OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
-
The pervasive popularity of the show and its creator will be the reason the complainers have no voice.—
Rich Heldenfels,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The little, 3-inch wide capsules were shot out of a bore gun at over 2,600 mph, or nearly four times the speed of sound.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
11 May 2026
-
Beauty’s spring sale season bore fruit for more than a few players, data shows.—
Noor Lobad,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
But none of the Premier League’s refs or growing cohort of specialist VARs revel in the role of party pooper.—
Graham Scott,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
But in their quest to make history, the guests turned into party poopers.—
The San Diego Union Tribune,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grinch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grinch. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
