grinned

verb

past tense of grin
as in smiled
to express an emotion (as amusement) by curving the lips upward grinned at the kids' fooling around in the pool

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 grinned In one pic, the family of four posed together on the beach with Sybil sporting a playful pout while the rest of the bunch grinned. — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026 In 2014, Josh Brolin appeared in Hall H, slipped on the Infinity Gauntlet, and grinned. — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026 Bo grinned, staring at the pale-blue walls of the large classroom. — Min Jin Lee, New Yorker, 19 July 2026 But the real star of her segment were her adorable backup dancers, the Ugandan dance troupe Ghetto Kids, who grinned throughout the number. — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 19 July 2026 When a media assistant grinned, Stephan laughed, saying federation president Philippe Diallo had almost hinted at Zidane’s appointment in previous days. — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 16 July 2026 Rabbi Eli Schlanger leaned back in his chair, sighed and grinned like a kid. — John Blake, CNN Money, 5 July 2026 In the selfie video, Valentina grinned into the camera wearing a gold choker and gold hoops as her mother hugged her from behind. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 30 June 2026 Wheeler grinned before Hill exchanged high-fives and chest bumps with right fielder Brandon Marsh. — CBS News, 26 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grinned
  1. smiled
  2. laughed
Verb
  • Lindell smiled, evidently relishing the chance to guide the customer toward a solution—and a potential sale—that might otherwise have fallen through.
    — Claire Zillman, Fortune, 30 July 2026
  • Baker smiled widely, nodded his head, greeted Ortiz in Spanish, chuckled and walked over to Ortiz and Vladimir Guerrero, giving each of them hugs and pats on the back.
    — Jose de Jesus Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026
Definition of smiled
Verb
  • Gonzalez laughed, agreed and the breeze moved through the courtyard right on time.
    — Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
  • Perhaps that’s the biggest compliment for UCLA, going from being ignored or laughed at to taking a few jabs over your glowing reviews.
    — Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of laughed

Browse Nearby Words

grinds (out)
grinned
grinning
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grinned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grinned. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on grinned

Nglish: Translation of grinned for Spanish Speakers

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