Synonyms
Verb (1)
Noun (1)
Verb (2)
Examples of snarl in a Sentence
David Koenig, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Nov. 2023
From June through August — when thunderstorms can snarl air traffic — the rate of cancellations fell 18% compared to 2022.
—David Koenig, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2023
That relatively small hole snarled trading in Wall Street's foundation, the multitrillion-dollar market for overnight cash and Treasurys known as repo.
—Eric Wallerstein, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023
Preparation for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, scheduled for mid-November, snarled Koval Lane, on the way to the Strip.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2023
In the past, volcanic eruptions have only snarled flights when lava hits glaciers, creating an ash cloud, according to CNN.
—Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Nov. 2023
That includes bag inspection agents at airports, who protested previous shutdowns by refusing to work, at times snarling air travel.
—Tony Romm, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023
And the supply chains that were badly snarled during the pandemic have pretty much unwound.
—Christopher Rugaber, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Nov. 2023
The closure snarled commuter traffic for six weeks.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2023
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2023
Long a Latino neighborhood, then filled in by techies, the Mission these days is a snarl of conflicting interests; Yekutiel has sought to unite them, and to bring powerful people into the mix.
—Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023
Sen yai is a stellar way to start a meal at Kin Sen: A slippery snarl of flat rice noodles, sauced with dark soy and capped with a golden tumble of ground pork and tofu.
—Stuart Melling, The Salt Lake Tribune, 15 Aug. 2023
Adding to the existing pressures faced by wine producers are the supply chain snarls and higher production costs as a result of the Ukraine war.
—Byprarthana Prakash, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2023
Alongside its feline screech and its avian snarl, the griffin resonated in ancient and medieval minds as a symbol of strength.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 30 Oct. 2023
Counterpoint: Those same leftists unabashedly support murderous Muslim terrorists, and snarl at the the coming Israeli invasion of Gaza.
—Wilfred Reilly, National Review, 18 Oct. 2023
When thirsty animals approached, the speakers played one of several sounds: the snarls and growls of a lion pride, the placid chatter of human conversation, gunshots, dog barks, or birdsong.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2023
The Chicago School pointed out that sometimes prices go up for their own reasons: rises in the price of oil or other key inputs, say, or logistical snarls, foreign exchange fluctuations, or rent hikes on key facilities.
—Cory Doctorow, WIRED, 7 Sep. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'snarl.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Verb (1)
Middle English, to trap, entangle, probably frequentative of snaren to snare
Noun (1)
Middle English snarle snare, noose, probably from snarlen, verb
Verb (2)
frequentative of obsolete English snar to growl; akin to Middle Low German snorren to drone, rattle
Verb (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (1)
1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (2)
1589, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun (2)
1613, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing snarl
Dictionary Entries Near snarl
Cite this Entry
“Snarl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snarl. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
snarl
1 of 4 nounsnarl
2 of 4 verbsnarl
3 of 4 verbsnarl
4 of 4 nounNoun
Middle English snarle "snare, noose," probably from snarlen "to trap, entangle"
Verb
from obsolete snar "to growl"
More from Merriam-Webster on snarl
Nglish: Translation of snarl for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of snarl for Arabic Speakers
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