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 of snarl

Verb (1)

• knot
• tangle

Noun (1)

• jam
• congestion

Verb (2)

• bark
• shout
• yell
• scream

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

Traffic was snarled early Wednesday near Detroit Metro Airport with all lanes of eastbound of I-94 shut down for hours. — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026

The hourslong closure snarled the morning commute into Sacramento, shutting down westbound Highway 50 between Hazel Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard. — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Noun

This year’s Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer with closures, travel snarls and record gas prices in California. — Vince Basada, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2026

Arguably the standout set of the entire festival, her set was grimy and dark, featuring songs off her new album, Music, Fashion, Film, for the first time with a permanent snarl. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026

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"