snarl

1 of 4

verb (1)

snarled; snarling; snarls

transitive verb

1
: to cause to become knotted and intertwined : tangle
2
: to make excessively complicated

snarl

2 of 4

noun (1)

1
: a tangle especially of hairs or thread : knot
2
: a tangled situation
traffic snarls

snarl

3 of 4

verb (2)

snarled; snarling; snarls

intransitive verb

1
: to growl with a snapping, gnashing, or display of teeth
2
: to give vent to anger in surly language

transitive verb

: to utter or express with a snarl or by snarling

snarl

4 of 4

noun (2)

: a surly angry growl
snarly adjective

Examples of snarl in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
From June through August – when thunderstorms can snarl air traffic – the rate of cancellations fell 18% compared to 2022. 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
Noun
The signature Stallone snarl is the result of facial paralysis caused by complications during Stallone’s delivery at a charity hospital. 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 See More

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

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

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

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.

Kids Definition

snarl

1 of 4 noun
1
: a tangle especially of hairs or thread : knot
2
: a tangled situation
a traffic snarl

snarl

2 of 4 verb
: to get into a tangle

snarl

3 of 4 verb
1
: to growl with a snapping or showing of teeth
2
: to speak in an angry way
3
: to utter with a snarl
snarler noun

snarl

4 of 4 noun
: an angry growl
Etymology

Noun

Middle English snarle "snare, noose," probably from snarlen "to trap, entangle"

Verb

from obsolete snar "to growl"

More from Merriam-Webster on snarl

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