Grizzled describes hair that has turned gray or shows a mixture of gray and darker colors, usually on someone who has lived a long, eventful life. A grizzled sea captain might have a gray beard streaked with remnants of its original black, earned through decades of ocean voyages. A grizzled detective in a mystery novel often sports salt-and-pepper hair that hints at years of solving difficult cases.

The word carries a sense of toughness and experience. When you call someone grizzled, you're describing both their hair color and suggesting they've weathered challenges and accumulated wisdom. A grizzled war veteran, a grizzled mountain guide, or a grizzled cowboy all share that quality of having been tested by time and circumstances.

You might also see grizzled used more broadly to describe someone who looks weathered and experienced, beyond just their hair. When an author describes a character as grizzled, they're painting a picture of someone whose appearance tells a story of experience and endurance.