gnarly

adjective

Definition of gnarlynext
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 As a rock star, Chrissie Hynde has always been a bit of a paradox — gnarly but cerebral, ferocious yet guarded. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026 Hossain and her collaborators have conjured an internalized hellscape marked by sensual photography, gnarly cyst makeup, and suffocating matrimonial rituals involving turmeric and milk — all redolent with upper-class heteronormative rot. — Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for gnarly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gnarly
  1. ugly
  2. hideous
  3. disgusting
  4. hellish
  5. loathsome
  6. horrid
  7. beastly
  8. hateful
Adjective
  • Without all that, the series misses out on the ugly, earthy, sensual details that could have complicated her past blank innocence.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Earlier this season, the Seahawks coach described a dispute with Payton that got ugly enough for Seattle to threaten a lawsuit.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • Alabama has been busily demonstrating that the reverse is true, following a string of hideous botched lethal injection executions with a series of no less gruesome executions with nitrogen suffocation.
    — Maya Foa, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • This puzzle is stuffed with nuance, pleasing crosses and a lot of simply terrific, ridiculously evocative stuff — for example, a jarring assortment of lovely trivia intersecting with some hideous ailments at more than one juncture.
    — Caitlin Lovinger, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of hideous
Adjective
  • That’s likely to inspire either affection or immediate exhaustion, depending on your fondness for the infamously disgusting performance group.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
  • People tend to think of waste as trash, sewage, slag, manure and other seemingly useless or disgusting substances.
    — Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • Israel is not solely responsible for the persistence of hellish conditions in Gaza.
    — KHALED ELGINDY, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Their gathering at a secluded house quickly turns into a hellish reunion as the family members turn into Deadites.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of hellish
Adjective
  • Given French’s loathsome history, Abbott and others in the party establishment worked hard to keep him from winning the Republican nomination, Rice noted.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of loathsome
Adjective
  • The last thing Deion Sanders wants is for this to snowball into another horrid season, with a select few players not taking things seriously in the locker room.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The average life expectancy was six weeks in horrid conditions.
    — Megan Shinn, CBS News, 20 Sep. 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
  • Ossoff went a step further, accusing Collins himself of amplifying hateful content and saying that his former congressional aide had intervened on behalf of a Holocaust denier.
    — AJC.com, AJC.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Online trolls posting hateful comments on social media don't establish how the crowd at Gainbridge behaves.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of hateful

Browse Nearby Words

G-men
gnarly
gnash
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Cite this Entry

“Gnarly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gnarly. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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