growl 1 of 2

verb

ˈgrau̇(-ə)l How to pronounce growl (audio)
Definition of growlnext
1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely he was growling about how much work he had to do

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to rumble
to make a low heavy rolling sound I'm sorry my stomach is growling, but I'm just really hungry

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growl

2 of 2

noun

as in snarl

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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 growl
Verb
Since then, Barkley has growled at several other people, and all but one have been diagnosed with some type of cancer, Dozier said. — Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 11 Aug. 2026 At the other end of our road, the cranes of the docks loomed — great Stothert and Pitt machines that growled overhead like something out of Star Wars, guarding the scale and mystery of the River Thames. — Lee Clayton, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
Dodd recites it from memory in Wolverine’s voice with a growl. — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026 Hearing that growl, that was bone chilling, but working with the jaguar was awesome. — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for growl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for growl
  1. complain
  2. roar
  3. rumble
  4. snarl
  5. scream
  6. whine
  7. moan
  8. mutter
Verb
  • Someone else even complained about the self-clean feature ruining their appliance.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2026
  • By July, morale among immigration officers had dipped below its nadir during the Biden Administration, with agents now complaining of being overextended, inundated with novice recruits, and undermined by inflammatory rhetoric from on high.
    — Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of complain
Verb
  • Superstars at both ends, tempers ready to flare, world-class soccer, and a roaring Camp Nou crowd.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
  • More than 17,000 Atlanta fans roared the Dream to a thumping 26-point victory and a 2-1 lead in the WNBA Finals series against the Golden State Valkyries.
    — Don Riddell, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of roar
Verb
  • Then the shuttle appears on screen, the music swells and the room shakes with the tearing, rumbling force of a launch.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Strange sounds emanating from the water heater, like rumbling or popping, often indicate that there is sediment inside the tank.
    — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of rumble
Noun
  • To get to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, take the metro (look for the brown Metro Line 9) to avoid getting entangled in traffic snarls.
    — Alan Chazaro, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Oct. 2026
  • His Lamb goes from a brash Yorkshire showman to a callous profiteer of human vice and misery, his cheeky smile becoming a vicious snarl.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of snarl
Verb
  • Upon arriving at Bottiglierivega's door, a police sergeant heard screaming and spotted blood nearby.
    — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Officers arrived at the scene and found people screaming as a man was lying in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds.
    — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of scream
Verb
  • Just thank God you were born female and stop whining over your bad choices.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Unlike last year when Texas coach Steve Sarkisian whined about his non-conference schedule, his main complaint this year will be his conference schedule.
    — Mac Engel October 25, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of whine
Verb
  • It's been a big few months for Austin Abrams moaning and groaning his way through some of the worst situations imaginable.
    — Megan McCluskey, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • For a cold moment the silence locked a grip on our table, though it was broken, at the edges, by the golf commentators moaning and harrumphing, Rory McIlroy having had a canary on a seventeenth fairway somewhere this championship Sunday.
    — Kevin Barry, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of moan
Verb
  • The only thing left in the field was a distraught college kid, pacing back and forth, muttering to himself, and suffering over what might have been.
    — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The camera then cut to McCarthy, who muttered a profanity in response.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of mutter

Browse Nearby Words

growing up
growl
growled
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Cite this Entry

“Growl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/growl. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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