growl

verb

\ ˈgrau̇(-ə)l

growled; growling; growls

Definition of growl

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : 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

noun

Definition of growl (Entry 2 of 2)

: a deep guttural inarticulate sound

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about growl

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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

Built in 2016, the statue features Richardson holding a football next to two growling Panthers. — Steve Reed, chicagotribune.com, "Panthers owner under contract to keep statue of team founder Jerry Richardson," 10 July 2018 The aromas coming from the forbidden room made our mouths water and stomachs growl impatiently. — Jenny Aurthur, Longreads, "Of Breakdowns and Breakthroughs," 4 May 2018 One African American man growled that the statues glorify white supremacists. — Washington Post, "Black leader brings provocative take to Civil War museum," 21 Apr. 2018 There always seems to be a logging road nearby, a lawnmower motor chugging in the distance, or a plane growling overhead. — Chelsey Lewis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "By boat, bike or foot, Horicon Marsh is a Wisconsin treasure," 31 May 2018 For most New Yorkers, construction is a messy, noisy business filled with clanging, dust, shouting workers and growling equipment. — Keiko Morris, WSJ, "In the Botanical Garden, Construction Workers Tiptoe Quietly," 6 May 2018 This is how Self operates on gamedays: intense, focused — and frequently growling. — Jesse Newell, kansascity, "'He got that from Landen Lucas:' How one KU player earned Bill Self's sideline praise | The Kansas City Star," 8 Mar. 2018 The man was actively resisting, allegedly growling and snarling while fighting with police. — Erik S. Hanley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Man carrying gun in St. Francis turned out to be armed with unloaded air rifle," 6 July 2018 On three separate occasions in this episode, June goes outside and comes face to face with the same wolf, which initially growls at her but at no point attacks her, and by the end, actually seems to be watching over her. — Emma Dibdin, Harper's BAZAAR, "This Week's Grueling Handmaid's Tale Is A One-Woman Show," 27 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Gotta Get to You’ The growl and holler of Parker Millsap’s vocals rough up his meticulous songwriting: terse wordplay, targeted melodies and detailed arrangements that deploy the instruments of a roots-rock band with rigorous economy. — New York Times, "The Playlist: Christina Aguilera’s Bizarre Puzzle, and 13 More New Songs," 4 May 2018 Pulling away does nothing but elicit a snorting growl and a tighter clamp. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "B-52 Bombers Could Quadruple Their Wing Bomb Loads," 25 June 2018 All trains have their own sound while under way: BART screeches, Caltrain roars, but SMART has a low growl, like a friendly dog. — Carl Nolte, SFChronicle.com, "Picturesque Petaluma perfect for sunny getaway," 23 June 2018 Nothing more than a gentle breeze stirs the air, as fireflies dance and occasional growls emanate from the storm cloud. — Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, "Bolts from the blue: Here’s how lightning can strike when a storm is tens of miles away," 27 June 2018 Lloyd complements Williams’s plaintive growl with his own tenor saxophone cries, in some cases the obbligatos becoming an ongoing commentary. — Jon Garelick, BostonGlobe.com, "Charles Lloyd, Lucinda Williams meet at the crossroads," 27 June 2018 Monday's magic was gone, the electrifying ending and picturesque growl Ken Giles gave long forgotten. — Chandler Rome, Houston Chronicle, "Ken Giles, Astros’ offense squander Justin Verlander’s gem in loss to Yankees," 2 May 2018 The brash, attention-grabbing exhaust growl draws eyes to the F-type, while its gorgeous design keeps them there. — Car and Driver, "2018 Jaguar F-type," 16 Mar. 2018 Even better, the unique, deeper growl of the 1100 sounds just like what you’d dream this metal beast would sound like. — Fortune, "Is the Bigger, Beefier Ducati Scrambler 1100 the One for You?," 27 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'growl.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Statistics for growl

Last Updated

13 Sep 2018

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for growl

The first known use of growl was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for growl

growl

verb

English Language Learners Definition of growl

(Entry 1 of 2)

of an animal : to make a deep threatening sound

: to make a low sound like the sound of a growling animal

: to say (something) in an angry way

growl

noun

English Language Learners Definition of growl (Entry 2 of 2)

: a deep sound made by an animal; also : a similar sound

See the full definition for growl in the English Language Learners Dictionary

growl

verb

\ ˈgrau̇l

growled; growling

Kids Definition of growl

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to make a deep threatening sound The dog growled.

2 : to make a low rumbling noise My stomach is growling.

3 : to complain or say in an angry way “Only use them when we absolutely have to,” growled Azaz disgustedly. —Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth