GNARLY Synonyms: 99 Similar and Opposite Words

gnarly

adjective

Definition of gnarly

slang

as in ugly

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of gnarly Adrenaline junkies should consider a trip that involves the notoriously gnarly Cherry Creek section, a nine-mile stretch of intense Class V whitewater, but the local rivers also allow for more relaxing, Class III floats. — Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2026 This plot and the film’s glossy aping of grindhouse aesthetics suggest the movie will be gnarly and boldly engrossing. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026 In 2021’s The Card Counter, a man contends with a gnarly history of military torture. — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026 Except in the hardware world, those gnarly activities include some sick online gaming, which is what makes Alienware a household name in high-performance gaming. — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gnarly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gnarly

Adjective

Not many filmmakers can create something where moments as ugly as Billy’s scatological lectures coexist so elegantly with moments of honest longing and tragedy (and, in one or two moments, tentative hope).

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
The hate being lobbed at Sheeran is also an unpleasant reminder of the extreme and ugly bullying tactics of the online left.

— Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of ugly

Adjective

Another reason to feel supreme confidence in this team’s juggernaut potential is that Chicago’s defense appears to be just as hideous as the fantasy community had hoped.

— Andy Behrens, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Three seconds later, I was surrounded by hideous monsters who were probably nice kids before the local NBC news devoted the feature story on their prime-time show Weekend to an in-depth study of English punk.

— Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of hideous

Adjective

The hellish conditions triggered by the planet’s collision with the city-size space rock wiped out all other birds and dinosaurs, O’Connor noted.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026
As the film smash cuts to black on a frustratingly open-ended, very end-of-episode-one-style cliffhanger, the only conclusion is that in such a hellish scenario, no decision can ever be definitively judged to be the right one.

— Jessica Kiang, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of hellish

Adjective

Kraus’ paean to peace is written in the most luxurious and loathsome language imaginable — in one very long and fractured sentence.

— The Know, Denver Post, 6 Sep. 2026
People commonly used tobacco to treat many ailments, including indigestion, respiratory problems, pain and loathsome mouth afflictions.

— Katherine Ott, The Conversation, 2 July 2026

Definition of loathsome

Adjective

As excavations for the foundation got underway, bones and decomposing bodies were found, releasing a horrid odor and spreading yellow fever across the island.

— Victoria Davies, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026
Cantu’s wife, who heard her husband, then exits the home and comes to the horrid realization that her husband is dead or dying on the front yard.

— Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of horrid

Adjective

The German tuner, known for turning luxe cars from Lamborghini to Bentley into absurd, beastly powerhouses, has teamed up with the folks at Sunreef on a new 55-foot cat.

— Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 July 2026
Yet Corsini transforms his shocking premise into a beastly and beautiful character study, one that’s smartly supported by a mostly Italian ensemble and truly revelatory second antagonist.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 24 July 2026

Definition of beastly

Adjective

The Ostrich Army, though, dismissed the courts as corrupt and, beginning in late January 2025, started to flood CFIA offices with hateful messages and threats.

— J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
But concrete evidence of Clark fans acting in a hateful manner — at least in real time — is severely lacking.

— Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of hateful

Browse Nearby Words

G-men

gnarly

gnash

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“Gnarly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gnarly. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of gnarly

adjective

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