1
: full of knots or gnarls : knotty
gnarled hands
gnarled olive trees
2
: crabbed in disposition, aspect, or character
a gnarled old veteran

Examples of gnarled in a Sentence

the old man's gnarled fingers
Recent Examples on the Web Those About to Die, Anthony Hopkins gazes out like a gnarled marble bust brought partially to life. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 July 2024 At Abbot’s Passage Winery & Mercantile in Glen Ellen, sit amid gnarled vines heavy with grapes to try sixth-generation vintner Katie Bundschu’s novel, experimental field blends that are beautifully named and happily surprising to the palette. Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2024 The site of the gnarled hangar is fenced off and nearby streets are closed. Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2024 Ash James Surrounded by olive groves and gnarled, ancient cork trees, São Lourenço do Barrocal was once a thriving 19th-century farming village, providing enough livestock, grain, vegetables, and wine to sustain up to 50 resident families year-round. Christine Chitnis, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Mar. 2023 See all Example Sentences for gnarled 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gnarled.' 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

probably alteration of knurled

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gnarled was in 1603

Dictionary Entries Near gnarled

Cite this Entry

“Gnarled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gnarled. Accessed 8 Sep. 2024.

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