Illustration of grunt
- grunt 2
grunted; grunting; grunts
: to utter a grunt
He didn't answer, only grunted.
: to utter with a grunt
"No," he grunted.
grunter
noun
plural grunts
1
a
: the deep short sound characteristic of a hog
b
: a similar sound
2
[from the noise it makes when taken from the water]
: any of a family (Haemulidae synonym Pomadasyidae) of chiefly tropical marine bony fishes
3
: a dessert made by dropping biscuit dough on top of boiling berries and steaming
blueberry grunt
4
a
: a U.S. army or marine foot soldier especially in the Vietnam War
b
: one who does routine unglamorous work
—often used attributively
grunt work
Examples of grunt in a Sentence
Verb
The workers were grunting with effort as they lifted the heavy furniture.
She grunted a few words in reply, then turned and walked away.
Noun
the grunt of a pig
I could hear the grunts of the movers as they lifted the heavy furniture.
He answered her with a grunt.
He was a grunt who worked his way up to become an officer.
He's just a grunt in the attorney's office.
Recent Examples on the Web
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Hippos grunt and grumble in the shallows, crocodiles sunbathe on sandbanks, elephants appear along the banks, while fish eagles call overhead as sunset approaches.
—
Sarah Kingdom,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
30 June 2026
In terms of grunt, Nixie is powered by a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system that ensures efficient operation across a wide range of cruising profiles, according to Lürssen.
—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for grunt
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Roaring and grunting, his body sleek with blood and sweat, Conan tussles and grapples with a series of opponents, dominating them all, while an audience of torch-wielding vulgarians shouts and howls at the pit’s lip.
—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Hippos grunt and grumble in the shallows, crocodiles sunbathe on sandbanks, elephants appear along the banks, while fish eagles call overhead as sunset approaches.
—
Sarah Kingdom,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
Noun
On occasion, those strikes were accompanied by her trademark grunt and celebratory roar, which have echoed around tennis venues since her debut almost 30 years ago.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
30 June 2026
In terms of grunt, Nixie is powered by a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system that ensures efficient operation across a wide range of cruising profiles, according to Lürssen.
—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for grunt
Cite this Entry
“Grunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grunt. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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