grunge

noun

ˈgrənj How to pronounce grunge (audio)
1
: one that is grungy
2
: rock music incorporating elements of punk rock and heavy metal
also : the untidy fashions typical of fans of grunge
grunger
ˈgrən-jər
noun

Examples of grunge in a Sentence

I'm a fan of grunge. I cleared the grunge out of the drains.
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.
In 1997, alternative rock was in a strange place, having already seen the grunge era come and go, and with no clear core to the genre to keep it commercially and culturally competitive with pop and hip-hop as the turn of the century approached. — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2026 Twisted Teens joked they were contractually obligated to write a grunge song after signing to Sub Pop, prompting Billiard to claim that modifying any Beatles chord progression to stay major instead of going minor gets the job done. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026 An early journalistic coup was when Frank exposed the New York Times’ Style section had printed slang from Seattle’s grunge scene that Sub Pop employee Megan Jasper had made up. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026 No More at the very dawn of the ’90s, while drummer Lynn Truell played in SF proto-grunge outfit Sister Double Happiness. — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grunge

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from grungy

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of grunge was in 1965

Rhymes for grunge

See All Rhymes for grunge

Browse Nearby Words

Grünewald
grunge
grungy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grunge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grunge. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on grunge

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about grunge

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