1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
he was growling about how much work he had to do
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to roar
to make a long loud deep noise or cry
the neighbor's dog growls every time we pass the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of growl
Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 20 Jan. 2026
How Popcorn Affects Your Stomach When your stomach starts growling between meals, popcorn might be just the thing to alleviate those annoying hunger pangs.
—Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 22 Dec. 2025
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2025
Joe’s raspy growl and Nick’s smoother tone contrast nicely and meet in the middle of the groovy, soulful pop-rock lane the group’s newer music occupies.
—Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for growl
Verb
Stephen gets all purple-faced and mad, growling that he should have been consulted!
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 20 Jan. 2026
How Popcorn Affects Your Stomach When your stomach starts growling between meals, popcorn might be just the thing to alleviate those annoying hunger pangs.
—Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 22 Dec. 2025
Noun
Everything bops breezily along, stopping occasionally to have Dek growl maxims about strength through domination, and observe a decapitation or two.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2025
Joe’s raspy growl and Nick’s smoother tone contrast nicely and meet in the middle of the groovy, soulful pop-rock lane the group’s newer music occupies.
—Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for growl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for growl
Verb
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The building was in the neighborhood of Bab Tabbaneh, one of the poorest areas in Lebanon’s second-largest city, where residents have long complained of government neglect and shoddy infrastructure.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
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Other conservatives have also complained about Bad Bunny performing in Spanish.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The crowds that roar her to victory can also bring their own pressures.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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The Dutch fans roared every time one of their countrywomen zoomed by.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The smell of methanol racing fuel and the buzz of anticipation filled Lucas Oil Stadium as a procession of monster trucks rumbled into position for Monster Jam’s two-show weekend on January 31 and February 1.—
Travis LaCoss,
IndyStar,
5 Feb. 2026
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The mom of three hears the televisions vibrating through the walls, video games clacking on the XBox, and the constant swirl of doors as her kids rumble through the house.—
Jessica Ma,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The one-time Sacramento State All-American linebacker was stuck in the snarl of rush-hour traffic in Southern California, his car inching along while his heart and mind were racing.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
4 Feb. 2026
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Oklahomans are bracing for what could be the most impactful storm of winter, set to bring a combination of snow, ice and frigid weather, which forecasters warn could knock out power and snarl travel for days as freezing temperatures persist.—
Cheyenne Derksen,
Oklahoman,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The work that doesn’t scream the loudest internally but decides who wins externally.—
Erik Huberman,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 2026
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Vonn was heard screaming in pain while lying in the snow before she was airlifted off the course.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But students who are spending their time protesting, whining about the grading system and seeking easy classes don’t seem to fit that mold.—
Mitch Zimmer,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
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The children jumped for joy after winning a game of cornhole; others fell and whined in defeat, but got up to play again.—
Christopher Buchanan,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While Slot was moaning about having to play two away matches in four days (and about missing a couple of key players), Emery, also without important figures such as Boubacar Kamara, was overseeing his Villa side playing the same tough schedule and win both games without conceding a goal.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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The austerity gives her plenty of room to writhe, mug, and moan between occasional shots of an inflatable Martian and a tropical-looking Tiffany lamp.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The volume has gone up again since Ruben Amorim’s recent departure, muttering darkly about Gary Neville’s outside influence in particular.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2026
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The older lady who was muttering to herself in casting is there.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Growl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/growl. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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