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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of growl
Nbc Los Angeles, NBC news, 2 Dec. 2025
Unflappable, Xhaka has the aura of one who has slipped into comfy slippers and a favourite armchair, at home in the growling adversity faced by a club for whom survival remains the overriding goal.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 1 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
Ken Johnson, the homeowner, said Monday that the bear has been growling and hissing, terrifying him and his cat.
—Nbc Los Angeles, NBC news, 2 Dec. 2025
Unflappable, Xhaka has the aura of one who has slipped into comfy slippers and a favourite armchair, at home in the growling adversity faced by a club for whom survival remains the overriding goal.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 1 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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Later, the state spent $6 million to seal the brick building, after state workers complained of respiratory ailments and asthma.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
11 Jan. 2026
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Although older drivers are certainly more sensitive to nocturnal blasts of light, drivers in their 20s and 30s also complained about the overall brightness of some vehicles.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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So as the fires roared through Altadena, thousands more homeowners were left with insurance coverage that didn’t fully cover the costs of rebuilding.—
Kyung Lah,
CNN Money,
8 Jan. 2026
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After painful cuts and delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the Stock Show is growing again after another $400 million investment in its campus, and attendance has roared back to pre-pandemic levels.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There was nothing much to lose and plenty to gain as a crowd containing Bears star Caleb Williams and Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong rumbled excitedly for one more shot.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Jan. 2026
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Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited route connects New York and Chicago—a 19-hour trip that rumbles along the breathtaking Great Lakes shoreline and through the scenic Finger Lakes region.—
Skye Sherman,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Despite headwinds like tariffs, supply chain snarls and higher costs for solar panels and other components, Fishman said, the initiative is having an impact.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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And, two, worldwide supply chain snarls also stemming from the pandemic.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Heads hung low, players consoling one another or screaming obscenities at no one in particular, the care factor off the charts.—
Mirjam Swanson The Orange County Register,
Arkansas Online,
22 Jan. 2026
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Kelly and others screaming such obscenities as parishioners enter and exit the sanctuary has culminated in the parish’s requests for police escorts.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Some had noisy bearings, which could sound like a whining noise.—
John Paul,
The Providence Journal,
16 Jan. 2026
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Illinois Republicans have turned whining into an artform.—
Paul Miller,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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Critics moaned when the CFP committee picked the Hurricanes over Notre Dame as the last Power 4 entry into the playoffs.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The camera then turns to James Austin Johnson, who played the president, sleeping and muttering New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s name.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Dec. 2025
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On the plane, Dick clutches the slingshot and begins sweating and muttering to himself before becoming unresponsive.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Growl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/growl. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026.
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