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grinch

(informal, somewhat, _, derogatory) A person who is aggressively intent on ruining the Christmas holidays for others.

ɡɹɪnt͡ʃDocumented since 1950s1950sBoomerhistoricalCurrent183 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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3 definitions
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Etymology timeline

Born ~1957 · 1 year of recorded use
1957Born2026: 2 citationsToday, 2026

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#1·Apr 27, 2026

(informal, somewhat, _, derogatory) A person who is aggressively intent on ruining the Christmas holidays for others.

Here's what they would risk: appearing responsible for higher taxes next year after Obama offered them a deal to extend the Bush-era rates, coming off as grinches for failing to extend unemployment insurance during the holiday season, an…
Cluster: insult
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#2·Apr 27, 2026

(chiefly, US) To act like a grinch; to be a killjoy towards someone.

Heard in the wild
  • “I ended up watching the classic Grinch and Lorax specials last night instead of the Illumination movies because I remembered not liking neither movies that they’re not worth a rewatch (though I might watch Grinch 2018 again to refresh my memories)”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “A sketch of my pupper with his grinch feet and banana toy 😆 #pomeranian #dog #sketch #rkgk”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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#3·Apr 27, 2026

(chiefly, US) A grouch or killjoy.

Here's what they would risk: appearing responsible for higher taxes next year after Obama offered them a deal to extend the Bush-era rates, coming off as grinches for failing to extend unemployment insurance during the holiday season, an…
Origin: in a children's book by Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957). Coined as early as 1953, the term was initially used for a fictitious bird named the "Beagle-Beaked-Bald-Headed Grinch" in Scrambled Eggs Super!; it became associated with the character in a poem published in the May 1955 issue of Redbook, "The Hoobub and the Grinch". Likely a corruption of grouch. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

Grinch means: A grouch or killjoy.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up. For most families this word will pass by without incident; it is more a vocabulary curiosity than a parenting concern.

For ESL learners

grinch means: A grouch or killjoy.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.

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