scowl

1 of 2

verb

scowled; scowling; scowls

intransitive verb

1
: to contract the brow in an expression of displeasure
2
: to exhibit a threatening aspect

transitive verb

: to express with a scowl
scowler noun
scowlingly adverb

scowl

2 of 2

noun

: a facial expression of displeasure : frown

Examples of scowl in a Sentence

Verb scowled down at the misbehaving child Noun The teacher gave me a scowl when I walked in late. She responded to his question with a scowl.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The shot shows him in a black sweater with green undershirt and a green scarf, shaggy hair and a scowling face. Katie Bain, Billboard, 1 Mar. 2024 The split photo features Draco on one side sporting his black and green Slytherin attire, platinum locks, and an unimpressed expression; on the other side is a similarly scowling Ken, wearing a jacket adorned with the letter K and holding a sparkly wine glass. Brittany Vincent, EW.com, 20 July 2023 Trump sat in Judge Lewis Kaplan's courtroom, glaring and scowling at times as about six dozen prospective jurors answered questions posed by the judge. Ramon Padilla, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2024 But within hours of moving into their three-bedroom house near Myrtle Beach in 2021, the Williamses said their next-door neighbors, a White couple, started scowling at them. Tim Craig, Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2024 His character, Gerald, is a scowling former steelworker who, after some initial reluctance, throws himself into his friends’ amateur-strip-show shenanigans with undisguised gusto. Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2023 Tips hinge on knowing when to flirt and when to scowl. Amy Nicholson, Variety, 16 Sep. 2023 At 54, Perry’s life was cut short, but Chandler will always be right there, scowling at the very idea of giving thanks when families are broken and dysfunctional. Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 23 Nov. 2023 Williams, wearing a sage green sweater and forest green tie, occasionally scowled as Glanville read charges to the jury for his co-defendants, otherwise smiling when talking with his attorney or others in court. George Chidi, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2023
Noun
Everything about her seemed hyperbolically over-the-top: her Bardot ponytail, her mini-Mariah pipes, her mascara-dripping eye rolls, her perpetually bored scowl of teen contempt. Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2024 Even the look on her face alters, a flat guise replaced by a scowl. Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Feb. 2024 His aspect was almost devilish—hard stare, bouffant hair, sideline scowl, and the occasional sinuous smile. Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2024 With his cutoff hoodies and ever-present scowl, Belichick teamed with quarterback Tom Brady to lead the Patriots to six Super Bowl victories, nine AFC titles and 17 division championships in 19 years. Kyle Hightower, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2024 Patient close-ups capture the way Jumbo’s wide eyes seem to take in everything and feel everything, and how Capaldi locks in Hegarty’s own emotions behind a seemingly perpetual scowl. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2024 That trio of coaches has plenty in common, even if the scowls of Saban and Belichick bear little resemblance to Carroll’s peppy demeanor. Andrew Beaton, WSJ, 12 Jan. 2024 Sometimes a scowl, at the end some satisfaction crept onto his face as the Huskies came out with the win. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 2 Jan. 2024 Over coffee in Studio City, for instance, there was a moment when a scowl washed over Bridgers’s face. Lizzy Goodman, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scowl.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English skoulen, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish skule to scowl

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

circa 1520, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scowl was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near scowl

Cite this Entry

“Scowl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scowl. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

scowl

1 of 2 verb
1
: to make a frowning expression of displeasure
2
: to exhibit or express with a scowl
scowler noun
scowlingly adverb

scowl

2 of 2 noun
: an expression of displeasure on the face : frown

More from Merriam-Webster on scowl

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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