grin

UK: /ˈgrɪn/ US: /grɪn/ ,(grin)

Inflections of 'grin' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

grins

v 3rd person singular

grinning

v pres p

grinned

v past

grinned

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

grin¹ /grɪn/   v., grinned, grin•ning, n. 
v. 

1. to smile broadly: [no object]
   He grinned delightedly.
   [~ + at + object]
   She grinned at her guest.
   [~ + object]
   He grinned his appreciation.

n. [countable]

2. a broad smile.

Idioms

3. grin and bear it, to suffer from something unpleasant without complaining.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

grin¹  (grin), v., grinned, grin•ning, n. 
v.i. 

1. to smile broadly, esp. as an indication of pleasure, amusement, or the like.
2. to draw back the lips so as to show the teeth, as a snarling dog or a person in pain.
3. to show or be exposed through an opening, crevice, etc.

v.t. 

4. to express or produce by grinning:
   The little boy grinned his approval of the gift.

n. 

5. a broad smile.
6. the act of producing a broad smile.
7. the act of withdrawing the lips and showing the teeth, as in anger or pain.

• bef. 1000; Middle English grinnen, grennen, Old English grennian; cognate with Old High German grennan to mutter

grin′ner, n. 
grin′ning•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. See laugh. 

grin²  (grin), n., v., grinned, grin•ning. 
n. 

1. Scottish Terms [Chiefly Scot.] a snare like a running noose.

v.t. 
2. to catch in a nooselike snare.
• Middle English grin(e), Old English grin, gryn bef. 900

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

grin / ɡrɪn/ verb (grins, grinning, grinned)

1. to smile with the lips drawn back revealing the teeth or express (something) by such a smile: to grin a welcome
2. (intransitive) to draw back the lips revealing the teeth, as in a snarl or grimace
3. grin and bear it ⇒ to suffer trouble or hardship without complaint

noun

1. a broad smile
2. a snarl or grimace

Etymology: Old English grennian; related to Old High German grennen to snarl, Old Norse grenja to howl; see grunt

ˈgrinning adjective , noun