growls; growled; growling
1
a
of an animal
: to make a deep threatening sound
I could hear a dog growling behind me.
a growling dog
—often + atThe dog growled at me.
b
: to make a low sound like the sound of a growling animal
My stomach's been growling all morning.
The engine growled.
2
a
: to say (something) in an angry way
"What do you want?" he growled.
b
: to complain in an angry way
He's always growling about the government.
plural growls
: a deep sound made by an animal
The dog gave a menacing growl.
also
: a similar sound
He answered my question with a growl.
We could hear a growl of thunder in the distance.
Cite this Entry
“Growl.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/growl. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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