grunge

American  

[gruhnj] / grʌndʒ /

noun

Slang.

1. dirt; filth; rubbish.

2. something of inferior quality; trash.

   He didn't know good music from grunge.

3. a person who works hard, usually for meager rewards; grind.

4. a style or fashion derived from a movement in rock music: in fashion characterized by unkempt clothing and in music by aggressive, nihilistic songs.

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grunge British  

/ ɡrʌndʒ /

noun

1. slang dirt or rubbish

2. a style of rock music originating in the US in the late 1980s, featuring a distorted guitar sound

3. a deliberately untidy and uncoordinated fashion style

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Etymology

Origin of grunge

1960–65; expressive coinage, perhaps reflecting grime and sludge; sense “grind” perhaps by association with drudge

Example Sentences

The grunge collection may have helped define the era’s style and, in later years, proven Jacobs’ visionary status.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

He did a poorly received grunge collection that incoherently tried to marry haute couture with thrift-store shabbiness, and was fired for it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

Their signature sound, much like the East L.A. neighborhood they grew up in, is a melting pot of influences, combining old-school cumbias, ’90s grunge, and psychedelic rock into something completely unique to them.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

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

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

He had never noticed the grunge of the platform before, when he and Cool Papa snuck off to the city to meet up with the Bluesmen on double-shift nights.

From "Clayton Byrd Goes Underground" by Rita Williams-Garcia

Related Words

• filth
• grease
• grime
• soil
• stain