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EARNINGS PER SHARE - Schedule of Computation of Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share under Two-Class Method (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net earnings attributable to W.W. Grainger, Inc. as reported	$ 186,713	$ 211,015
Distributed earnings available to participating securities	(626)	(768)
Undistributed earnings available to participating securities	(1,121)	(1,461)
Numerator for basic earnings per share – Undistributed and distributed earnings available to common shareholders	184,966	208,786
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	1,121	1,461
Undistributed earnings reallocated to participating securities	(1,114)	(1,445)
Numerator for diluted earnings per share – Undistributed and distributed earnings available to common shareholders	$ 184,973	$ 208,802
Denominator for basic earnings per share - weighted average shares (in shares)	61,668,682	67,229,653
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	431,119	752,709
Denominator for diluted earnings per share - weighted average shares adjusted for dilutive securities (in shares)	62,099,801	67,982,362
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 3.00	$ 3.11
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 2.98	$ 3.07

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