Illustration of grunt
- grunt 2
grunted; grunting; grunts
: to utter a grunt
: to utter with a grunt
grunter
noun
plural grunts
1
a
: the deep short sound characteristic of a hog
b
: a similar sound
2
[from the noise it makes when taken from the water]
: any of a family (Haemulidae synonym Pomadasyidae) of chiefly tropical marine bony fishes
3
: a dessert made by dropping biscuit dough on top of boiling berries and steaming
blueberry grunt
4
a
: a U.S. army or marine foot soldier especially in the Vietnam War
b
: one who does routine unglamorous work
—often used attributively
grunt work
Examples of grunt in a Sentence
Verb
The workers were grunting with effort as they lifted the heavy furniture.
She grunted a few words in reply, then turned and walked away.
Noun
the grunt of a pig
I could hear the grunts of the movers as they lifted the heavy furniture.
He answered her with a grunt.
He was a grunt who worked his way up to become an officer.
He's just a grunt in the attorney's office.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025
But in the fifth set, when everything was on the line, Paul mixed in just enough slices and sharp angles, while Khachanov fell back to his flat, grunting power, which has its limits in these parts.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 1 June 2025
New Atlas, 31 Mar. 2025
Roki Sasaki would lift his left leg almost to his head, stretch far down the front side of the mound, and let out a grunt as a blur of white leather came screaming from his hand.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for grunt
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Verb
That’s where the name came from, the R and the J and the sound pigs make grunting.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025
But in the fifth set, when everything was on the line, Paul mixed in just enough slices and sharp angles, while Khachanov fell back to his flat, grunting power, which has its limits in these parts.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 1 June 2025
Noun
That means a 500-W motor with similar incline-busting grunt and top speed.
—New Atlas, 31 Mar. 2025
Roki Sasaki would lift his left leg almost to his head, stretch far down the front side of the mound, and let out a grunt as a blur of white leather came screaming from his hand.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for grunt
Cite this Entry
“Grunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grunt. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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