snarl

1 of 4

verb (1)

ˈsnär(-ə)l 

snarled; snarling; snarls

transitive verb

1

: to cause to become knotted and intertwined : tangle

2

: to make excessively complicated

intransitive verb

: to become snarled

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

ˈsnär-lē 

adjective

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• entangle
• interlace
• intertwine
• intertwist
• interweave
• knot
• tangle

Noun (1)

• backup
• bottleneck
• jam
• jam-up
• logjam
• tailback [British]
• tie-up

Verb (2)

• bark
• snap

Examples of snarl in a Sentence

Verb (1)

you'll be awfully sorry if you snarl your fishing line

Noun (1)

to no avail, the city promotes carpooling to help ease the traffic snarls that always accompany rush hour

Verb (2)

she snarled at me after I kept badgering her with questions

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The sight snarled traffic, and state troopers shut down both sides of the interstate for the safety of motorists. —CBS News, 30 Apr. 2025

The blackout snarled traffic, forced hundreds of businesses to close and left those unable to afford generators scrambling to buy ice and candles. —Danica Coto, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2025

Noun

The relief has been welcomed by the auto industry, but analysts have warned the shifting policy could still drive up prices and snarl supply chains. —Kevin Ryan, Quartz, 29 Apr. 2025

Donald Trump’s 125% tariffs on goods produced in China threatened to upend its supply chain as seriously as the Covid snarls did five years ago. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2025

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

Phrases Containing snarl

• snarl up

Rhymes for snarl

• carl
• harl
• parle

Kids Definition

snarl

1 of 4 noun

ˈsnär(-ə)l 

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"