grunge

[gruhnj] / grʌndʒ /

ADJECTIVE

dirt; rock music style of the early 1990s

Synonyms

STRONGEST

filth grease grime soil stain

STRONG

muck vileness

WEAK

punk schmutz

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It’s as if a bubbly Jonas Brothers single got infected by a toxic cloud of grunge.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

I think country music today is not far from what was happening with rock in the ’90s, except for grunge.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2026

Kurt Cobain strummed the grunge anthem’s iconic four-chord opening riff on a 1969 Fender Mustang, Lake Placid Blue with a signature racing stripe.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026

Vaguely grunge in vibe, the track overtly recalls second feminism’s suspicion of feminine adornment.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

Feigning shame, I showed it to some hard grunge types, to their even harder women, to red-faced professionals.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee