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

Video footage recorded by their owner Macie Lamb shows two pups, Ace and Tango growling at a decorative object that resembles a small ceramic dog wearing a ghost costume while holding a pumpkin in its mouth. —Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025

In it, Brian growls for the camera while standing behind his wife. —Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2025

Noun

And maybe, just maybe, a horseshoe-moustached, hardened rocker with a booming growl will quietly leave a grocery store tomorrow to take his mushroom mocha milk back home. —Jason Newman, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025

All of those slurps and clacks and growls and squishes are amplified and enhanced in Noah Hawley’s new FX series to delicious, nightmarish results. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 25 Aug. 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