growl

1 of 2

verb

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
They are known to work in teams when hunting, and communicate with chirps, growls, whistles and body language. Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025 Island of isolation Our cruise, part of the San Francisco CityPASS, pulled out from Pier 33, engines growling, slicing through waters once crossed by gold-seekers and prison ferries. Maggie Downs, Oc Register, 9 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 See All Example Sentences for growl

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

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Growl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/growl. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

growl

verb
ˈgrau̇(ə)l
1
b
: to utter a deep threatening sound
the dog growled
2
growl noun
growler
ˈgrau̇-lər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on growl

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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