growl

1 of 2

verb

ˈgrau̇(-ə)l 

growled; growling; growls

intransitive verb

1

a

: rumble

his stomach growled

b

: to utter a growl

the dog growled at the stranger

2

: to complain angrily

transitive verb

: to utter with a growl : utter angrily

growl

2 of 2

noun

: a deep guttural inarticulate sound

Synonyms

Verb

• complain
• scream
• whine
• moan
• mutter

Examples of growl in a Sentence

Verb

I could hear a dog growling behind me.

My stomach's been growling all morning.

“What do you want?” he growled.

He's always growling about the government.

Noun

The dog gave a menacing growl.

He answered my question with a growl.

We could hear a growl of thunder in the distance.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

That's because behind every gurgle and growl there's a bustling ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms that include bacteria, viruses and fungi that can all affect overall mental and physical well-being. —Daryl Austin, USA Today, 24 June 2025

Distance-Increasing Signals: Behaviors such as lip licking, turning away, or stiffening, escalating to growling or lunging if ignored. —Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025

Noun

Keitel begins the scene with an intimidating growl and ends it in rueful melancholy. —Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025

One witness tried to give him a life preserver, and another tried to speak with him but received a growl in response, according to the sheriff. —Alex Sundby may 26, CBS News, 26 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English groulen, grollen

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun

1715, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for growl

• foul
• foule
• fowl
• howl
• jowl
• owl
• prowl
• scowl
• afoul
• wildfowl
• waterfowl

Kids Definition

growl

verb

ˈgrau̇(ə)l

1

a

: rumble entry 1

b

: to utter a deep threatening sound

the dog growled

2

: complain sense 1

growl noun

growler

ˈgrau̇-lər

noun